Open relationships

Can we have the cake and eat it too? Loyalty is no longer the cornerstone of modern relationships. Conjugal faithfulness is probably one of the most overrated virtues, given that science doesn’t back monogamy.


Morality represents the way that people would like the world to work. Nevertheless, if we turn our eyes to Nature, this will provide some awesome examples about how sexual behaviour actually does work.


One of the most well-known theories about the connection between sexual arousal and polygamy is the Coolidge effect. The Coolidge effect is the fact that a copulating male who becomes incapable of continuing to copulate with one sex partner can often recommence copulating with a new companion.


We don’t know if the effect is extensible to the other gender. However, we cannot blame anyone for the fact that the Coolidge effect has not been demonstrated in females because it is more difficult to conduct well-controlled Coolidge-effect experiments with females.

The Coolidge effect is named after President Calvin Coolidge, of whom the following story is told. The anecdote is probably false, although it shouldn’t be.


According to rumours, during a tour in a massive poultry farm, Mrs. Coolidge inquired of the farmer how his grange managed to produce so many eggs with such a small number of roosters. The countryman proudly explained than his roosters performed their duty dozens of times each day. The First Lady replayed in a loudly sharp voice if he could mention that to Mr. Coolidge.

The President, overhearing the comment, asked the farmer if each rooster did service the same hen every time. The farmer replied that there were many hens for each rooster, forcing the President to beg the farmer if he could possibly share that with Mrs. Coolidge.


The conventional wisdom is often wrong. It looks like if we want to make a virtue of necessity, we ought to admit that open relationships are not only inevitable but convenient. Conventional wisdom is often shoddily formed and devilishly difficult to see through, but it can be done. We all agree that once the cake is eaten, it is gone, but, does it matter in such a big cake market?


A legion of poultry of this kind can’t be wrong, can’t they?