There is that phrase--if you give away the milk for free, no one will want to buy the cow. I hope we are finally getting beyond the point of seeing sex as an object owned by women that should be sold for marriage. As a poly person, I have been both the single person dating someone with a primary relationship, and now the well-paired person looking for a secondary relationship. And in both directions it has happened that the relationship has been "put on the shelf" for the sake of the person lacking a primary person to try someone new out that might become primary for them. For me the agreement is, that if we do not get back together, it is ok, but if the new relationship does not work out or allows for a second, it can all come off the shelf. so I recently did this for someone, she tried out someone new, it failed, and now she wants the things that she values (my musical collaboration and my mind), but no sex. So for me, this is not taking it off the shelf, lol. When you have been sexual with someone and then you are not, it is both a cause and an indicator of loss of intimacy, which in this case made the rest work. And I am fairly certain I am not doing a "reverse cow (not giving my mind and musical collaboration away for free instead of trading it for sex), but it does feel like a slippery slope. Anyone been here before? Thoughts?
Could someone who is familiar with a poly relationships please explain what it means? I have obviously looked it up but want to hear it from someone’s experience.
@DavidDuhon thanks for the explanation. It seems too complicated a lifestyle for me but if it all works for all parties involved and there are no jealousy or trust issues then why not. If stress is becoming a factor then perhaps work on solidifying the one relationship to the point of comfort and ease before another can be introduced.
Is religion, and the views of the men and women either "trapped" or "indoctrinated" in the male-dominance inherent in them - declining, stablilizing - or increasing?
Sad to say; religion is still growing....although more slowly than being agnostic/atheist ( they're both growing because the world population is still growing..(158 more births, than deaths, per minute, 227,000 more per day....google any population clock).
According to the US Census of 2015 , it now costs over $250,000 to raise a child. Yeph , that;s right , over a quarter of a million dollars to raise a child . Yes , and even married men , if going through a divorce seem to feel , no sex , no child support . Men make sex about money . If a man is not willing to spend a little money to date a woman , he won't be interested in contributing to the support of a child(ren) either .
I'm not as sophisticated as you all. People may have intent, and agree to things in the abstract, but when life happens they may change their minds. I need to add that societal expectations are much more tolerant about women changing their minds than they are about men.
So how many women do you need? The way you describe this poly relationship with the putting on the shelf really sounds more like informed philandering. What was the first woman supposed to do while you were schtupping the second one? Just sit around fingering herself?
But as I said, I'm not sophisticated. If I was in a trusting, intimate relationship I wouldn't mess with it. And if I did mess with it, and lost it, well then c'est la guerre.
I've never considered sex a commodity, just part of the package of being in an intimate relationship. That being said, intimacy for me is so much more than sexual intercourse. It has to be, otherwise it just feels empty for me. But if I have an intimate relationship with someone without sex, to me that's a friendship. I also need to evaluate each connection differently, based on what we both bring to the table and what we want from each other. For example, I did have a relationship with someone that I at first I thought, though we had made a connection, was still based on sex, so when sex went off the table I was disappointed, but then I had to decide if this was someone I still wanted in my life based on other ways we interacted -- it took some time to figure that out and to allow myself to go through a period of mourning for the loss of the sexual connection, but right now I can say I'm happy being friends. Sometimes it works out that way; sometimes it doesn't.
@DavidDuhon Depends on the relationship and the people involved. My experience that I mentioned was about the withdrawal of sex; in this case, the friendship part still worked for both of us -- not immediately, but eventually, and honestly I wasn't expecting that. In other circumstances it may not work... Bottom line, there's no right or wrong with the way you're feeling about this person, it just is; and if one person isn't happy with the situation, then it's not going to work out.
I guess if one ties intimacy solely to sex then that can seem like a loss of intimacy. But there are other forms of intimacy; both physical (ie holding hands, snuggling, hugging, kissing, etc.) and emotional (sharing one's inner self with another human that you have not shared with anyone or very many people).
One could say that we're all whores--in one way or another. To wit, I've been a consultant for 40 years, selling the services of my brain for an hourly fee. Actually, I kinda like being a well-paid whore, mostly because I enjoy rendering the services. And I meet some very interesting people.
I am in a poly relationship. I was very intimate with my secondary for about a year when she wanted more than I could give her. We stopped seeing each other for about a year and a half then she wanted to get back together without any sex. I love her dearly and missed her a great deal. Now we see each other several times a month and we are the best of friends. We get together for activities and we do have intimacy like cuddling but no sex. I value our friendship more than anything so sex is not the primary reason that I still see her and our friendship is stronger than ever.
What does it mean to "get back together" without sex? How is that different from just communication?
@BitFlipper We meet twice a month for cuddling which can be clothed or naked. To me this is different from just communication.
@19dacar52 naked cuddling sounds pretty sexy to me. It would be more sex than I've had since the Bush administration.
Sex owned by women to be sold for marriage?! You just basically called all women who want to be married a whore...
@DavidDuhon
Actually, this is the phrase I'm familiar with:
There is that phrase--if you give away the milk for free, no one will want to buy the cow.
Followed by your statement about the phrase, as I understand it:
I hope we are finally getting beyond the point of seeing sex as an object owned by women that should be sold for marriage.
Etc, etc...
@DavidDuhon why do you focus on the woman as having sex to be sold or given away? Where is the man in all this? It takes two to tango.. and if a woman doesn't give it away or sell it, she just isn't interested...
@DavidDuhon so if I have a television in my living room and I'm not selling it, does that mean I should give it away? Is that my only option? It's a commodity... Why can't I just keep it and enjoy?
@DavidDuhon okay, now you're making sense
Posted by UnitySomeday my princess will appear before me. ❤️
Posted by AtheistPeace666Hello I'm a single Canuck looking for my special lady Canuck.
Posted by KhaCRYou ever feel like you found the perfect sexual partner then he turns out to be a complete 💩bag and you can’t find the satisfaction in other encounters?
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Posted by EntheogenFanI have a story to tell.
Posted by KateOahuYes, I agree that the reverse is also true.
Posted by JolantaThis is what women have to put up with and then they want to be intimate while we are still angry because they will not do their share of housework.
Posted by JolantaDucky, Snookums....
Posted by SorchaThis is a guy I was talking to from okcupid. He is totally new to online dating and it shows.
Posted by JolantaThat’s Amore. Some women are just far too shallow.
Posted by JolantaSomething for real intimacy perhaps.
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Posted by EyesThatSmileNakedness.
Posted by LetzGetRealMy family has often commented how I should become a "cougar"... as I look pretty good at my age and have a younger mindset than some of my peers, I guess this is there rationale?
Posted by Ann-1980The 4 types of Intimacy to feel sufficient, satisfied & healing in a love relationship.
Posted by Philip21over the top thinking? [agnostic.com]