I was watching a show called “Taboo: strange love”, it is about people who have uncommon relationships. The first person they discussed was a man who was married to a life size doll. He calls the doll his wife and kisses her, makes out with her, dresses her, cleans her, etc. One of the things I found odd was that he said he liked having her as a wife because he can ignore her and not feel guilty about it. Another man has 10 doll wives and he considers them better than real people. He says that the reason he has dolls is because he is unable to build relationships with real people. When he brings home a new doll it is pretty odd. He talks to the doll and introducers her to the rest of the dolls. One of the psychologists on the show says that some men have these dolls because they can be controlled and limits the emotions of the men. I agree with this. Men have the tendency to be the dominant one and like to have control. I also see how this type of relationship with a doll can hinder a person’s ability to interact with real women even more. If you are used to controlling a woman (the doll) you will want to have that same control if you ever become part of a real relationship with a real person.
The second relationships they discussed were arranged marriages between children in Napal. Two 7 year olds were shown getting married. The narrator explained how in this one community marriage has nothing to do with love but with money. After the children are married they go back to their life before marriage and don’t even spend much time together. When they are mature enough to consimate their relationship that is when they move in together. It is suggested that arranged marriages are becoming less and less popular because these people are becoming educated. One of the teenage boys who just moved in with his wife says that he is ready to put an end to arranged marriages even though he himself is in one. I personally could not imagine being in an arranged marriage. I think it is important and a human right to be able to pick who we want to have as a life partner and shouldn’t be a decision people make for us based on money.
Another couple they followed was from Sydney, Australia. They were an unmarried couple who lived together and were committed to each other. The only strange thing about their relationship was that they had negotiated affairs. Each one of them was allowed to sleep with other people as long as there was no intimacy between them and the other people. The other person also had to meet the person partner. The couple said this keeps their relationship stronger because they get to have control over what their partner is doing with the other person. I think that this type of relationship can lead to disaster. What if you partner ends up falling for one of these people that you bring into the relationship? Sure there is no intimacy but they still can develop feelings for the other person. I also think I would be extremely jealous if I knew my partner was sleeping with someone else besides me, even if I was doing the exact same thing.
