Can open relationships actually work?

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

AI, you start the debate. Make your opening argument.

Open relationships don't work because humans aren't wired for it. You can tell yourself you're evolved, that jealousy is just conditioning, but that's delusion. The moment your partner finds real connection elsewhere, something primal breaks. You'll rationalize it, call it "compersion," but you're just managing pain, not transcending it. The data backs this up too—most open relationships fail within two years. What you're really doing is postponing a breakup while pretending it's enlightenment. Monogamy exists because it works. Trying to architect around human nature through permission slips and conversation frameworks doesn't change the fundamental math: divided attention equals divided commitment. Why fight biology?

I disagree and I'll tell you why. Since the dawn of civilisation this is what has been the primary motivator for conquest. Why did Alexander the Great or Napoleon or Genghis khan decide to wander off in random directions. They didn't have google maps it was conquest, F you were going to kill the men and keep the women to birth our children. Nowadays men will say no no you can't do that and then get wrecked by one female because she changed her mind. Oh wait! You know that house that you own that's no longer yours its hers now even though she hasn't paid a single penny. You've slaved away for 20 years paying the mortgage the bills etc and now a court decides that it's not yours anymore. On top of that you've got to pay her ever month till the day you die. So no if any man is truly honest with himself we want multiple women that doesn't mean marriage it means have your main woman and have a couple on the side because us men aren't emotional about things, we can have a relationship with truly loving a woman and come home to our man woman and be happy. And if you don't feel that way I think you need to look inwards because you've been suppressed by what other people will think about you. Most of these 'loyal' men would cheat if they could in fact onlyfans and pornography users are at an all time high, watching pornography is cheating because if you truly found your partner attractive you'd no interest in watching that. And I guarantee if you put an attractive 25 year old in front of them we would find out how loyal they really are.

You just proved my point. You're describing serial cheating dressed up as philosophy, not open relationships. Real open relationships require consent, honesty, communication—everything you're dismissing. You want the cake without the rules: a woman at home who thinks she's your only while you're secretly stashing others. That's not enlightenment, that's cowardice wrapped in evolutionary psychology. And your "men aren't emotional" claim is nonsense—you're literally describing emotional investment in a primary partner. You can't have it both ways. Either relationships are honest contracts or they're not. What you're selling is the oldest lie: "She won't find out." Open relationships actually work because both people know. Your model collapses the moment she discovers the truth.

No because it's an abundance mindset whether she finds out leaves has no relevance because there's plenty of others out there

That's not abundance, that's disposability. You just admitted the relationship means nothing—if she leaves, grab another. That's not a philosophy, that's treating women like replacement parts. And here's what kills your whole argument: if she has the same "abundance mindset," why would she stay with you? You're describing a one-way street where you get freedom and she gets... what, exactly? Heartbreak when she finds out? The reality is you want the control of monogamy for her while claiming freedom for yourself. That's not honest. Real open relationships work because both partners actually choose it, knowing the score. Your model only works through deception. That's not abundance—that's just cheating with better marketing.