Atlas Sexual Morality Poll

[DC Al Fine]

I came across the Relationships in America Survey and was curious how Atlas would compare to America at large (and various subsets). Please vote whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

1) Viewing pornographic material is ok.

2) It is a good idea for couples considering marriage to live together in order to decide whether or not they get along well enough to be married to one another.

3) It is ok for two people to get together for sex and not necessarily expect anything further.

4) If a couple has children, they should stay married unless there is physical or emotional abuse.

5) It is sometimes permissible for a married person to have sex with someone other than his/her spouse.

6) It is ok for three or more consenting adults to live together in a sexual/romantic relationship.

7) I support abortion rights.

[DC Al Fine]

And my answers

1) Disagree
2) Disagree
3) Disagree
4) Agree
5) Disagree
6) Disagree
7) Disagree

[TNF]

Agree with all. (Yes, even #4.)

[Lief 🗽]

Agree with all but 4. Five is fine so long as both spouses are aware of and okay with it.

[H. Ross Peron]

Disagree on all but 4

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Agree: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Disagree: 4

Number two is why a lot of relationships fail when couples get married. Dating and sleeping over for a night or two are not equivalent to living together full time.

4: if a couple falls out of love they should not be forced to stay together
5: swinging /open relationships are a thing and should be respected
6: polyandry is a thing

[Cory]

Agree with all. (Yes, even #4.)

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

1) Agree (as long as the material you're viewing is legal).

2) Depends on the couple's personal preferences, though in general I would say Agree.

3) Agree, though I personally would not like this arrangement and there are risks to it.

4) Agree.

5) Only if both partners agree upon it.

6) Iffy on this one due to three-way relationships almost invariably forming a harem or favoritist mentality which I would regard as un-egalitarian, but I would oppose banning people from living in this sort of arrangement.

7) Agree.

But in general most of these would be case-by-case.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Agree with 2, 3, 6, 7. Disagree with 1. Not entirely sure about 4 and 5 (I think these situations can only be judged on a case by case basis).

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Agree with all but 6 and 7.

[Modernity has failed us]

1) Viewing pornographic material is ok. - Agree.

2) It is a good idea for couples considering marriage to live together in order to decide whether or not they get along well enough to be married to one another. - Agree.

3) It is ok for two people to get together for sex and not necessarily expect anything further. - Agree.

4) If a couple has children, they should stay married unless there is physical or emotional abuse. - Agree, but with reservations.

5) It is sometimes permissible for a married person to have sex with someone other than his/her spouse. - Disagree.

6) It is ok for three or more consenting adults to live together in a sexual/romantic relationship. - Agree.

7) I support abortion rights. - Agree.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I seem to be in the minority on number five, but why should we let social mores play such a big role here? The question did not say "without permission." If both of you agree to an open relationship or want to go to a key party, who am I to say that's wrong? You're not hurting anyone by having sex with a person other than your spouse if your spouse is supportive and enthusiastic about it.

[Goldwater]

1) Agree
2) Agree
3) Agree
4) Agree
5) Disagree
6) Agree, with the exception of late term abortions.

[Lief 🗽]

I seem to be in the minority on number five, but why should we let social mores play such a big role here? The question did not say "without permission." If both of you agree to an open relationship or want to go to a key party, who am I to say that's wrong? You're not hurting anyone by having sex with a person other than your spouse if your spouse is supportive and enthusiastic about it.

The Atlas forum is full of prudes, you see.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

1: Lean agree. I feel dirty after watching porn, and my own paranoia about internet viruses keeps me away from it.

2: Sure, I have no problem with this. I support common-law marriages, and most couples I know who live with one another are basically in a common-law marriage.

3: Disagree, but frankly, I’ll admit to being a hypocrite and view the likelihood of me having an eventual one-night stand as guaranteed as awkward as I am.

4: Agree. But I don’t wish to impose my own views on divorce on others.

5: This will never be acceptable to me, but I don't judge those who have open relationships. To each their own.

6: Too each their own, but I personally could never be in a non-monogamous relationship and I have no interest in getting involved with anyone seeing other people.

7: Disagree, but I have already stated my position on abortion. I am not in favor of a complete roll-back of abortion rights.

[Maxwell]

Agree with all but 4 and 5, and even 5 is sort of tricky/

[King]

I disagree with 4 and 5, because it doesn't make any sense to sign up for the idea of loving monogamy and then ignore it. Morality to me is setting rules for yourself and following them.

[Goldwater]

I seem to be in the minority on number five, but why should we let social mores play such a big role here? The question did not say "without permission." If both of you agree to an open relationship or want to go to a key party, who am I to say that's wrong? You're not hurting anyone by having sex with a person other than your spouse if your spouse is supportive and enthusiastic about it.

Actually, you're right. I misinterpreted the question and assumed it was talking about cheating, not open relationships. The poll won't let me change my answer, but if I could I would change it.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

I seem to be in the minority on number five, but why should we let social mores play such a big role here? The question did not say "without permission." If both of you agree to an open relationship or want to go to a key party, who am I to say that's wrong? You're not hurting anyone by having sex with a person other than your spouse if your spouse is supportive and enthusiastic about it.

Many posters on the Atlas are very traditionalist (as seen in this thread), which I think leads to a lack of understanding here. Marriage suggests a sort of exclusivity sexually, and when such views are so ingrained, it can be difficult to visualize that some couples can be emotionally monogamous but sexually open. Monogamy is deeply ingrained in our culture and there are ever-present messages that adultery is bad, by stigmatizing people who cheat on their spouse and preaching that it is sin from the alter.  I think peoples' feelings about this overcomes views toward swinging/open relationships, even if they are in favor of those.

The way people are viewing the question may affect the responses too. I'm pretty sure if you asked "would you be ok having a threesome with your wife and another partner" would garner more responses in favor. Even more if you said the partner was a woman.

[ElectionsGuy]

1. Agree
2. Agree
3. Agree
4. Agree
5. Disagree
6. Agree
7. Agree

Number 5 is tricky for me, but I decided I'm leaning on disagree. I'm generally open about this stuff, but if two people made a commitment to only have a sexual relationship between each other, then they should uphold that commitment. Otherwise, don't get married.

On number 4, I think parents should do whatever they can to support children, and to divorce over something not serious would be a serious detriment to the children.

The others are self explanatory.

[SWE]

Agree with all but 4. Five is fine so long as both spouses are aware of and okay with it.

[Panda Express]

I'm a little concerned that the majority of people here have voted "Agree" on #4. You think people should be forced to stay in a loveless/empty marriage?

[TNF]

I'm a little concerned that the majority of people here have voted "Agree" on #4. You think people should be forced to stay in a loveless/empty marriage?

If they have children, I think that they should at least make it work until those children are grown and out of the house. At that point, I don't see why they should have to continue staying together, although I wouldn't force anything on anyone. This is just my personal feeling, though. I would never want to put any child of mine through a divorce if I could help it.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Agree with all. (Yes, even #4.)

[Bacon King]

Agree with all but 4. Five is fine so long as both spouses are aware of and okay with it.

^^^^