What are your thoughts on the matter

Nothing commitment-free would appeal to me.

It's worked for most animals for millions of years.
Even the ones that 'mate for life' cheat on each other, then couple at home.

Diseases can be spread; feelings of exclusivity or possession may be hurt; being rejected or substituted won't feel nice; rearing someone else's genes from your partner is costly deception.

If everyone involved is cool with it, why not.

Not my cup of tea~~

Seems to work for some..to each their own..


I must have skipped the class on sharing for I don't share that well~~

I'm in more than one now and often am with relatively few issues BUT there's only one way it works.............you have to have total honesty from all involved from the beginning!
I've said it here before but the key is INTEGRITY.

There are some things I'll share... the man I'm with isn't one of them! An open relationship wouldn't work for me, nor would friends with benefits, which I'm thinking both are basically the same.

I don't believe there's anything wrong with an open relationship, to each his/her own. It simply doesn't work for me. I believe for it to work for others, like girth said, integrity is most important and there needs to be honesty from the beginning from all those involved.

Depends exactly on what they mean by "open."

There's a huge difference between "we have 12 kids that we can't afford. Let's make it polygamous, increase the spousal support, increase our family, build our own community."
vs.
"I just wanna go bang some other people, but, like, I don't wanna ruin our friendsh...err...marriage/relationship. I wanna dip my toes in the waters of promiscuity in order to masturbate myself and my emotions."


As part of a social group/hierarchy, people rationalize the crap out of their behavior in order to justify getting what they want. They don't want to do any real introspection or accept any kind of real truth about themselves.
They come up with moronic things like "I have a higher sex drive than my partner, we need to keep things fresh in the bed room, I need to explore in order to live my best life and be my best me."

It's easier to play mental gymnastics until they can exhibit bad behavior motivated by bad things, but continue to maintain mental health, being able to see themselves as good people doing good things.

If the "open relationship" is just "exploring sexual partners outside of the committed monogamous relationship" then some things should be realized and accepted.

All sex is ultimately motivated by basic human biology and the desire to procreate.
If someone wants to go bang strangers to scratch an itch, "open their relationship," they're ultimately saying "this relationship has served its purpose. I've gotten what I want out of it. I want to find a new breeding partner as I'm not really emotionally and mentally bonded to the one I have. But I want to keep the benefits of this relationship. Financial, social, mental, emotional. My partner as an individual and person doesn't really do anything for me, although I'll pay lip service to the idea to make myself look good. My partner is just a tool to provide something for me. I just get something from them that I don't want to lose. Now I want to find someone else that has better genes, higher social class, more resources, whatever, and go through at least the short term bonding process. I want the freedom to go out and collect more resources to stroke my physical, mental, emotional gratification, but I don't really want any risks, costs, or consequences to doing so. I want freedom without any real consequences or responsibility, and I'm going to get it by playing games and paying lip service to mitigate the judgment of others for increasing my benefit to others detriment."


Those are my thoughts on "open relationships."
The desire for an "open relationship" ultimately means you don't really "love" the other person, you aren't pair bonded. It's a sign of people that "settled" in finding a relationship.

I have other fish to fry.

One is complicated enough

Just for the record; when I'm in a committed relationship no one is truer than I. When I'm in it, I'm in it even my daughters mother would confirm that.

That's cool. So in the meantime, until you find the one you want a commitment with, you just enjoy the company of the women you are with, without any expectations or strings attached? And they do the same with you?

I can understand that, and to be honest, there was a time when I had a fwb. I actually initiated it! At the time I didn't know what worked for me and what didn't. So what better way to find out than to do it. It didn't work for either of us, haha, even with total honesty of our intentions from the beginning. Though I don't regret it, I now know that kind of arrangement doesn't work for me.

I want to be the apple in a man's eye, even when simply dating. That's difficult to believe if he's checking out other apples.

It is for person who (both of them) want to avoid paying to female and male prostitues.

No love involved, purely characterless thing.

As long as there is a mutual understanding about the limits and they are honored, I'm all for it. I've never experienced an open relationship, but I don't see why others can't. Maybe one day I will. Not all open relationships have both partners having other partners. Sometimes it's just the one partner seeing someone else. As with any relationship-- it's a personal choice.

Good for you!

LOL

to each their own ... that's WHY it's called a PRIVATE LIFE .. everyone has the right to live their life their way & and open relationship can only work if there's mutual trust , honesty & respect , u gotta be up front not only with ur partner but with whomever u may see on the side

I want to open relationship

i have problems with closed relationships.... i cant even imagine what I'd have with open relationships.... Sure is a wicked dream though ... especially with so many lady Minglers around ??!!!

Condoms would be a must.

I dont think open relationships really work.. if it does, then one or both parts are not really in love.