Reddit mentions of Reflections on the Human Condition

>>We can stay faithful because, even though it might be in our genetic interest not to, we really care about someone.

>Wanting to prevent another human being from having positive or pleasurable experiences in order to preserve illusions in your own mind of security in a relationship, ownership, possession, and supremacy (that is, I'm the one and only, the best, I'm not replacable etc.) is not "really caring". And faithfulness has to do with being true to your word, doing what you say, not betraying. It's offensive to suggest that either a person practicing promiscuity or one of multiple partners in closed arrangement freely entered are being unfaithful. Edit: And also offensive to imply that those of us who do maintain multiple relationships are less "really caring".

I'm gong to end this debate on my side, but before I do I just want to say a few things. First, that I never equated faithfulness with monogamy. I was careful not to do that. Poly people need to remain faithful to all their partners too (IMO). It is still possible for them to go outside the set parameters of the relationship and cheat.

Second, the prehuman monstrosity thing is unsupported by what I said, I didn't really flesh out the idea enough. But I got the idea from Reflections on the Human Condition by Hoffer, if you at all want to read his books. It is not science so much as social philosophy. I highly recommend anything he has written.