Monogamy, Polygyny and the Well-Tended Garden

Harpsichord · 2010-09-28T15:21:46+00:00

The advent of agriculture created a new kind of seed-scattering strategy.

2010-10-01T16:36:38+00:00

But only prosperous men take multiple wives in such societies, while their less wealthy brethren content themselves with just one mate

Sadly, that's not how the math works. For every man with two wives, one man has none (assuming rough gender parity). Polygyny is better for the most desirable men (who get their harem), and for the majority of women (who can share the most desirable men); while being bad for the majority of men (who likely don't get wives), and bad for the most desirable women (who have to share the most desirable men). Monogamy is better for the majority of men (who are guaranteed at least a wife), and the most desirable women (who can monopolize the most desirable men); while being bad for the majority of women (stuck with the reproductive booby prizes), and the most desirable men (stuck to one wife).

Speaking as someone who isn't the most desirable man, I much prefer a system wherein I'm likely to find at least someone with whom to make babies. Given that none of us here (in a system of polygyny) are likely to be the ones with harems, we're instead likely to be the wifeless losers.

Why do we support a system which would limit if not extinguish our reproductive choices?

Title	Monogamy, Polygyny and the Well-Tended Garden
Author	Harpsichord
Upvotes	9
Comments	2
Date	September 28, 2010 3:21 PM UTC (15 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/dk11j/monogamy_polygyny_and_the_welltended_garden/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/monogamy-polygyny-and-the-well-tended-garden.1047242 https://theredarchive.com/post/1047242

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