"Open Relationships"

I know many people enjoy “The Michael Baisden Show” as I do and enjoy the thought provoking subjects he examines. The hottest topic last week was open relationships and how some people are considering it an “alternative” to traditional relationships. Basically, a married or monogamous couple mutually agrees to experiment emotionally and sexually with others outside of their relationship, but do not consider themselves unfaithful because their partner does not object. A couple called into the show whose marriage was open, and the wife was in another city with her boyfriend! Call me old fashioned, narrow minded, and intolerant; I will gladly take them all, but this practice in incomprehensible. One explanation given for this lifestyle was the accelerated divorce rate and the loss of faith in monogamy, which I agree is disheartening, but I fail to understand how opening the floodgates of indulgence will enhance or rescue a relationship. From my perspective, the swapping of partners is a defilement of the relationship and is one of the lowest forms of human behavior, but this is a free country and people are allowed to be as base as they choose. However, I can partially understand how one might consider this alternative. Relationship disappointment and heartbreak often does strange things to the mind causing temporary insanity and acting outside of one’s self, but participating in a limitless relationship may lead to more dysfunction.

Brandon J.