Vignette #7: Hexagon

8 Responses to Vignette #7: Hexagon

1. Paul says:

   December 5, 2007 at 00:47

   Seems idyllic, count me in. Now I wonder what happens when one member gets a strong urge to wander the world for a few years to find him/herself, or is called to long term care of an ill relative, or leaves to join the environmental protection guerrilla army, or falls in love with a distant non-member, or dies. How will they handle the rift? Will they seek a replacement after a period of mourning? Will their group dynamics become dangerously imbalanced? Oh oh, I’m turning it into a novel!
2. Dave Pollard says:

   December 5, 2007 at 00:59

   Worse, Paul, you’re turning it into an HBO series :-)
3. Meryn Stol says:

   December 5, 2007 at 05:29

   For me, it reads like a sex story, except for the baby part. While I think it would definitely be ‘fun’ with a bunch of young hot girls, I don’t see much love in it. It’s more about lust.As for the baby: I’m really glad to know who my father is. Having two or more fathers doesn’t sound any good to me. It only complicates matters. I see big benefits in unequal relationships. *one* father, *one* mother, family, friends.I just don’t believe that this model will work for many, and also don’t believe this is beneficial to society in any way. I think we could put our energy to better use, helping people have healthy marriages for example.If you may wonder, no, I’m not Christian or Muslim or anything. I just want healthy (marriage-based) families, to the benefit of children. Our children should be our primary responsibility. Pleasure from sex is such a small thing compared to that.Maybe you could extend that to our children *and our world* are our primary responsibility. I don’t see how just having sex is going to help the world in any way. Maybe we could spend our time better by doing some ‘green’ stuff.
4. Nathan says:

   December 5, 2007 at 08:12

   Yes, you are walking a line between something informative and sexual fantasy. I’m not particularly connected to monogamy, but I think polyamorous groups will take on many forms, some of them not so driven by sex. Some groups may be comfortable with group sex and some won’t.Still, keep on with the stories, as there are many different aspects to explore. This one might be a day when everyone was feeling particularly horny or something, though you do suggest lovemaking may become more like cuddling while chatting. Also, if people were copulating like that a lot, they’d end up with quite a few children, and the women might all be pregnant too.Another thought is that sex may not be such a focus with people who aren’t in such need of love and attention, given the abundance of these things you visualise in the polyamorous group.Anyway, keep working on it…
5. Meryn Stol says:

   December 6, 2007 at 05:05

   “sex may not be such a focus with people who aren’t in such need of love and attention”That’s a good point. I believe pleasure from sex (just like material consumption) is sometimes making up for lack of more important things in life.
6. joan says:

   December 6, 2007 at 14:12

   i’d like to echo Nathan’s comments, both the positive and the negative. i’d also like to add that the part that bugged me (besides it feeling like it was more about sex than love) was Franz’s decision: “That, Franz said, would be their message, to be repeated until everyone knew how serious this was.” I’m not questioning the decision, just how it was made. The elder couple, a man and a woman, were arguing and then Franz (the patriarch) put his foot down. Seems like the same-old, same-old to me.Your stories (so far) are also very hetero to the point where there are no caresses even between same-sex people. Don’t you think that folks who have overcome one of society’s taboos (polyamoury) would continue that on into overcoming the same-sex taboo especially if they overcame the initial taboo through the use of love? or is it really just about the sex? i’m asking this in a provocative way, but i am sincere in asking the question. and just for the record, i’m a hetero female.
7. Dave Pollard says:

   December 8, 2007 at 21:53

   Hmmm…I knew I’d be in trouble focusing on the most challenging aspect of polyamorous communities — the sexual relationships — despite my caveat at the end of the story. I do agree with the comments, however, and that is why we need to experiment, to play around with different models, until we discover what works, and what doesn’t. I am however, absolutely convinced that monogamy in any community or society is alienating, restricting, and can incite unnecessary conflict. Poly is the natural way, I am sure of this, and it is the only way to go, if we can find out how to make it work. And Joan, yes, the comment from Franz was inadvertently patriarchal, and I should have included same-sex relationships in my story, as they will inevitably be part of polyamorous communities. Thanks, everyone, this is an important conversation.
8. Amanda says:

   December 17, 2007 at 17:54

   Hypothetically speaking, if polyamorous communities were to replace the traditional norm, how would they persist if their progeny is populated from within? If subsequent generations don’t know where they come from–who their mother and father are–how are they to prevent engaging in incestuous relationships?

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