Replies

So, what IS the default mode? I don’t recall studying that in my one semester of sociology, but maybe we did and I slept thru that part! ;)

There is no default mode. There are only arrangements that either facilitate the spiritual, mental, and physical well-being of the group or erode it. A father and mother who live together in a state of mutual respect, who care for each other, who have children who aren't merely the unavoidable consequence of their pursuit of satisfying their sexual urges, who have a clear idea of what they need to do to provide for their children's needs, who make the home a shelter against whatever chaos the children may experience out in the world, who help to make the world intelligible to the children but make sure the children learn that they are not the center of the universe do more than anything or anyone else to ensure that their children will grow up to be adults who treat others right and who will help to protect others from harm. The arrangement best suited for this is the Judeo/Christian view of marriage of a man and woman forsaking all others and becoming one flesh until death do them part.