[quote=davelj][quote=CA renter] All too often, men take everything of value to a woman, and when it’s his turn to keep his end of the bargain, he backs away from the deal. It’s essentially a deferred compensation agreement, and alimony is a way to make sure that men fulfill their end of the agreement.
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This sounds suspiciously like another type of commercial arrangement that occurs between certain men and women, just over a longer period of time…[/quote]

Absolutely. I’ll get flamed for saying this, but this “arrangement” has existed for all of known human history. It’s why it’s the “oldest profession” in the world. IMHO, it’s perfectly natural and normal, and the primary basis for male-female relationships going back for almost all of human history. It’s only “immoral” because we’ve been socially conditioned to see it that way.

Not saying that it shouldn’t change, or that I like it the way it is; but we have to work with reality as it is. Hopefully, the feminists (especially males) will create an environment where this won’t be the case…where women will be judged in the exact same ways that men are, and vice versa. Where very ugly, old, infertile, rich, obnoxious women can get the most desirable males. (Not holding my breath for that one, even though Kev seems to think we’re there already.)

Maybe, there will be a day when our reproductive biology and our sex can be separate, where men can have children and financial stability without women, and women can do the same (without having to worry about fertility, pregnancy, nursing, childcare, etc.).

We’re not there yet, though we are making some very slow progress.