Should people be allowed to marry?

[himynameispaul]

And no, I don't buy the argument that since it's deep in their nature and evolutionary past, human males ought to be free to vie for exclusive sexual access to as many females as they want. We make progress in reducing human suffering and building better societies by making efforts to overcome our base drives. Plus, it does not logically follow that how we were in the past is how we must be in the present and future.

I agree with this argument on the basis of free love, but I envision it with a non patriarchal stance. Biologically, females are suited to staying with one partner for a long period of time. I know there's some hardwiring in our brains based on evolution, but what's so wrong about females opening themselves up to many men? The marriage of one woman and one man is conventional and works, but I believe there's room for change in the future. It's precisely as you say. The present and future don't have to be reflections of the past. Why can't free love be a prevailing idea?

If you're going to refute this idea, and you don't buy into the argument for men, you shouldn't be using the argument "women are designed to be with one man". I believe it's the same logic. They're both based on biological hardwiring.

 

[B9]

I'm married, I only got married because I saw a tv programme which the basis of was that the state had taken 2 children into care & then had them adopted by othetr families. The father was not married to the mother & registered as living at different address although they had in fact co-habited for several years. The treason for this was financial - they were claiming benefit & in order to make life together possible they'd frauded the state. When the lady sadly died he had no legitimate legal claim to his chidren & incredibly they were placed with other families. We watched this programme & headed off to the registry office to make a date for marriage asap lest the same fate befell us - yes we were fraudulently claiming benefit & keep your moral high ground out of sight please.
So essentially I think that outlawing marriage would probably be a reasonable idea in some ways - love & marriage are not the same thing at all - we'd never have got married were in not for the fear of losing the kids should she die on me.
We'd both been previously married & didn't feel it at all relevant to our relationship, I suppose as an ancient & culturally backward oaf.
I actually do feel some sense of pride that she is my wife but it would be equally satisfying were some other form of partnership were socially accepted.
Basically marriage can be bad for your health but I've always been one for leading an unhealthy lifestyle.