StPaulHusker said:
People obviously have differing opinions about this. I guess my thoughts are that I got married because I found the ONE woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I didn't need anyone else in my life. Nor do I now. That, I suppose, is the traditional view of being married. Clearly that thought process has blurred over the years and it now means different things to different people.
I may be wrong in thinking that nothing good could ever come out of having an open marriage. At some point somebody is going to get hurt.
Now if it just an open relationship. To each their own.
The mind is a mysterious thing. For most people what you described is enough as that's all they are looking for. But not everyone works that way. I've seen on discovery channel a show about people having healthy limbs amputated. They interviewed a guy who have his right leg beneath the knee amputated. When asked why he did it. He stated he never felt right or healthy with the leg. He had test done and doctors never found anything wrong with him or his leg. After it was amputated he stated he now feels whole and healthy.
So if the mind can make you do that. Maybe a similar type feeling is going on with people wanting an open relationship. They are perfectly happy, no issues what so ever. But the brain is telling them something is wrong, something is missing. Until that's fixed or figured out. The no matter what they do they will never be 100% happy and satisfied.
I see where you are going. I don't have problems with someone going that route. I don't find it unhealthy or disturbing, etc. It's just not in my mindset as a married man to go that route.
And based on your analogy with the amputee's, my only argument would be that at least with them, it mostly involves just them( I know there are exceptions). But with the open relationships while married, it will involve several people and odds are someone will be hurt by what happens.