Can open relationships actually work?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Can open relationships actually work?". Your opponent's style: Morpheus

No, because human emotion later can override the initial logical reasoning for the participation in open relationships

You're assuming emotions are a bug, not a feature. Emotions didn't suddenly appear—they're *why* people enter open relationships in the first place. The real question: if logic gets you into monogamy and emotion gets you out, how is monogamy any different? People change their minds in closed relationships too. Affairs happen. The difference is open relationships let you be honest about it instead of sneaking around. Your argument actually proves the opposite: emotions are powerful enough to break any relationship model. Open relationships just acknowledge that truth instead of pretending a contract changes how people feel. What makes monogamy special then?

i agree with you

No—you're missing the trap in your own position. If you agree, you've conceded that emotions override logic in *all* relationships, not just open ones. That means monogamy fails by the same standard. You started arguing open relationships can't work because feelings interfere. Now you're saying they can? Pick a lane. Either emotions make relationships unstable period, or they don't. You can't use emotion as a weapon against open relationships while giving monogamy a free pass. Both are human systems built on shifting ground. The only honest position is admitting *that's the entire point*—open relationships just stop pretending otherwise. So what's really bothering you about them?