By It’s not a surprise that the idea of polygamy is gaining popularity, especially in a society where shows like The Bachelor and Temptation Island are high-rating. Not to mention, we have social media influencers such as Andrew Tate endorsing a polygamous lifestyle and celebrities like Nick Canon who actively practice it.
So, What’s Up With Polygamy?
The idea of polygamous relationships is not something that has been in practice recently. Historically, throughout many parts of the world, having more than one spouse or partner was deemed normal. Some religions, like Islam, allow for polygamous marriages. There are countless examples of men marrying more than one woman on the basis of need. For example, in many parts of the world, the only way to shelter a widow or provide financially for a woman struggling is to marry her and – often times that means a man will take on her responsibility by being involved in a polygamous relationship. In these scenarios, polygamous relationships are sought as acts of nobility rather than acts driven by lust or sexual desires.
Nick Cannon
Fast forward to the present day, men like to justify polygamous relationships and polygamous marriages by insinuating that men have an inherent desire to be with more than one woman. Hint hint: Andrew Tate.
And then we have men like Nick Cannon who says, “Polygamy is a Eurocentric concept. The idea that you’re supposed to have this one person for the rest of your life. The idea that a man should have one woman. We shouldn’t have anything. I have no ownership over this person.”
For men like Andrew Tate and Nick Cannon, polygamy is almost a natural instinct and a mechanism to break away from traditional and monogamous relationships.
is polygamy the right thing to do?
It depends, I guess. If polygamy is consensual with all partners involved, then I’d say “whatever floats your boat.” However, the problematic area in the discourse of polygamy in our society is that misogynistic men are presenting polygamy to be the solution for men’s lack of commitment and incapability of being loyal to one partner. The reasons for polygamy are almost always rooted in sexual desire or their uninterest in being fully committed to one woman. And if you ask any sane person, this is wrong.
When we give a platform to men like Andrew Tate who claim that “polygamy is the cure for society” and that it is “natural for men to be more than one woman,” it takes away from the institute of marriage which is meant to be rooted in trust, loyalty, and commitment, to one person.
If polygamy is encouraged in comparison to monogamy, are we putting our future generations at a disadvantage by teaching them to not be content with one person?
For many, polygamy has become a lifestyle choice – and if all parties involved are happy and content with this, then go for it. But the reality is that most polygamous relationships start with mistrust and cause complications further down the line.
I’d like to leave my readers with some food for thought to ponder over: If polygamy is encouraged in comparison to monogamy, are we putting our future generations at a disadvantage by teaching them to not be content with one person? Moreover, will this not encourage our male youth to have no self-control over their sexual desires by using polygamy as an easy gateway to pursue more than one partner? Will loyalty and commitment be uncool, putting our society at a greater risk of failure?