The case for polygamy

[Jon Miller]

I'm talking about giving the same legal rights to people in polygamous marriages as those in monogamous ones.

I'd legalise and regulate prostitution and hard drugs for the same reason, to protect the most vulnerable.

How can you differentiate that from societal support?

Additionally, how would it be protecting people if more people start doing it?

Let's say Bob makes decent (200k a year). He takes 3 wives. Five children are had.

They call everyone mom, dad, etc.

In the US law, each parent has equal rights to the kids.

In the US law, each spouse has the right to be kept how they have been.

If one wife divorces, what happens?

She gets screwed, like she would be now if they weren't married. Or the other wives would be screwed, if she was given enough to live in the same lifestyle (and it would be as now if they weren't married).

Besides the kids being screwed.

This isn't like prostitution and hard drugs. At least not like hard drugs.

It is a fact that there are many many people in the traditional cultures who don't practice polygamy because it is illegal. They will practice it if it became legal. It won't be coercive (in the way people in this thread talk about it being coercive). It will be highly damaging (As pointed out in this thread).

You aren't protecting anyone, you are just increasing the number of people harmed.

JM

[Jon Miller]

Those are all good reasons why polygamous marriages need the legal support you get through divorce from married status even more than monogamous ones, no?

How does that help the problem of all the young frustrated unhappy men?

For a society to do well, you don't want polygamy.

As repeatedly pointed out by the articles mentioned. Even the ones who are pro-polygamy! (As she said, with how people are now, it would be male dominated polygamy).

JM

[Pax]

My experience is that happiness goes down in a long term relationship.

[Jon Miller]

Those are all good reasons why polygamous marriages need the legal support you get through divorce from married status even more than monogamous ones, no?

That's like saying that there should be anti-descriminatory practices for coke/meth/heroin addicts.

Obviously these are the people who need help keeping jobs and the government should require companies to hire these people over those who make different lifestyle choices.

JM

[Jon Miller]

My experience is that happiness goes down in a long term relationship.

People claim this (who are in long term relationships), but this isn't what studies/statistics show.

Repeatedly, both in the past and the present.

They don't just look at what people say, they look at other behavior that is correlated with happiness. Like depression, reported stress levels, health, etc.

JM

[MikeH]

How does that help the problem of all the young frustrated unhappy men?

For a society to do well, you don't want polygamy.

As repeatedly pointed out by the articles mentioned. Even the ones who are pro-polygamy! (As she said, with how people are now, it would be male dominated polygamy).

JM

I don't see how giving legal rights to people in those relationships is going to encourage it.

[MikeH]

People claim this (who are in long term relationships), but this isn't what studies/statistics show.

Repeatedly, both in the past and the present.

They don't just look at what people say, they look at other behavior that is correlated with happiness. Like depression, reported stress levels, health, etc.

JM

Yeah, also I think people who are happy in their relationship aren't spending time moaning about it so might just be heard less.

[Jon Miller]

I don't see how giving legal rights to people in those relationships is going to encourage it.

It is encouraging it like saying 'you can buy tobacco with your WICs money or milk'.

JM

[Pax]

The only married guys I know of that are happy have women on the side. Too me that puts them in the unhappy category if they are not satisfied so they sleep around.

[MikeH]

I have no idea what WICs is.

[MikeH]

The only married guys I know of that are happy have women on the side. Too me that puts them in the unhappy category if they are not satisfied so they sleep around.

I'm married and very happy.

[Pax]

WIC is the US government provided formula and etc for poor mothers.

[MikeH]

And don't have women on the side either. If that doesn't go without saying.

[Pax]

I'm married and very happy.

Are you saying you are faithful and happy. If so I am very happy for you. Also, maybe a little jealous.

[MikeH]

WIC is the US government provided formula and etc for poor mothers.

I don't see how that's a relevant comparison, sounds like a strawman to me (Sorry Jon).