polygamy - great idea for fat egos

Submitted by the Grand Infidel of Kaffiristan (Australia), Nov 28, 2008 at 21:13

Ari Zade writes:

"....Judeo-Christian-style monogamy has no foundation in nature nor any necessary link to civilized culture."

It just happens then that Judeo/Christian cultures have been by far and away the most progressive in so many areas of human endeavours - including science and the rights of individuals & the rights of women. Could it be that the practice of polygamy on a large scale could actually hinder social/scientific progress in some ways - less sense of dislocation for individuals? e.g. - the West is obviously not as tribal and paternalistic as many Islamic societies are . Also, marriage of close relatives is and has been a taboo in the West - this might have some bearing on it.

".....There are plenty of viable cultures that have practiced polygyny, polyandry, and other variations on the polygamy theme..... "

Apart from parts of Tibet (not reknowned for its progress ) and some South Sea islands (again, hardly at the forefront of social change) - which societies were you referring to? What sort of social security system did they have? And seeing as you are also from Australia - how would you feel about paying YOUR taxes for an extended Social Security system that not only pays the $3,000 baby bonus for each baby for couples - but pays the $3,000 baby bonus for ALL the progeny from ALL the wives from say, a not too intelligent highly sexed male individual from the Middle East? And you'd be paying for the $500 a fortnight welfare payment for each the unemployed 'wives' of this individual. And if intelligence has a large genetic component - you'd be forcing your own kids to grow up in a world populated by his offspring and those like him.

What would be the point? You need to think this one out.

How long do you think the welfare system would hod out under these conditions?

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