Marry Me!

[S.A.M.]

Just because the woman carries the child does not mean that the father does not share a bond with that child, nor have a biological desire to raise it. All evidence points to the contrary, actually, considering the roles of fathers in so many cultures.

Thats a retrospective outlook isn't it? You're entitled to your opinion, of course, but I doubt that men had that much of a role in the upbringing or caring of their children until women received the options of contraception [and abortion]. Now that women have other things to do [and the latitude to do them] naturally, they expect the men to shed traditional roles and split the nurturing with them. The men, as usual, oblige them by transforming their outlook

 

[Balerion]

Thats a retrospective outlook isn't it? You're entitled to your opinion, of course, but I doubt that men had that much of a role in the upbringing or caring of their children until women received the options of contraception [and abortion]. Now that women have other things to do [and the latitude to do them] naturally, they expect the men to shed traditional roles and split the nurturing with them. The men, as usual, oblige them by transforming their outlook

Wait, you mean to tell me that men didn't raise their own children until birth control was invented? Is that what you're saying?

 

[Michael]

Ancient Egyptians had an open mind with regard to marriage. As that time reproduction was more important the continuing relationships, and frankly, people didn't mind scratching that 7 year itch...

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Ever heard of Molech? Heavy Iron Idol guy they'd heat up and put infants on? Child rearing was not especially important to all, except societally and religiously. Child-rearing could have been made of import without religion, leading to something like a community creche, I suppose. It would have streamlined things, while minimizing the importance of monogamy... Although the rights of heirs may have pushed things into monogamy anyway.

 

[S.A.M.]

Ancient Egyptians had an open mind with regard to marriage. As that time reproduction was more important the continuing relationships, and frankly, people didn't mind scratching that 7 year itch...

Quite. For example,

It was not all together uncommon for older men who had usually lost their wife to either death or divorce to marry very young "women". Qenherkhepeshef, a scribe from Deir El Medina for example married a 12 year old girl when he was 54.

And:

But up until the 26th dynasty, relatively late in Egyptian history, the bride herself seems to have little choice in the marriage. In fact, during this time frame most marriage contracts are actually between the girl's father and future husband. The girl's father and even her mother had much more say in the matter then the bride.

But we've already been through this discussion before.

Although the rights of heirs may have pushed things into monogamy anyway.

Not necessarily. In Tibet for example, where 90% of the population were serfs to the Buddhist monks, men in a family would frequently all marry the same woman, sometimes all brothers, sometimes father and sons, to keep the entailed property [usually deep in debt to the monks] in their family.