I believe that In the current system, there are three ways a relationship can end: betrayal, jealousy, and death of one (or both) of the parties involved.
I also believe that under a free love system, where no-one feels the need to OWN anyone, i can see death being the only ending.
Betrayal is not a way of a relationship ending because the only way a free love system would work is by positive thinking, and obviously someone positive thinking never has the need to deceive anyone, as they believe everyone is good people on the inside, they live in love not fear.
Free love
On a personal note - after spending a summer in Ibiza this year it would seem that something is DEFINITELY happening
I'm not sure if I understand you correctly. As far as relationships go.. my response woud be that marriage would not exist in an RBE as the entire concept of a marriage is to legally bind a couple together via the monetary system.. it is a measure of financial security for the couple, which can't be a true measure of love if you trap someone into a relationship based on money..
It simply doesn't make any sense. But then again, love is a loaded, subjective term so I often avoid commenting too much on this subject area but from what I understand, in an educated society which an RBE proposes, people will be emotionally equipped to deal with a relationship break-up.
They won't resort to aggression or long term irrational feelings/anger because the schools of the future can equip them psychologically to critically think about their emotions.
[i]"In trying to solve the terrifying problems that face us in the world today, we naturally turn to the things we do best. We play from strength to strength, and our strength is science and technology." [/i] - B.F. Skinner
I disagree.
Marriage is nothing to do with a RBE and is more about two people committing to each other above all others. It isn't a financial arrangement, it's a spiritual/emotional one.
If only emotions obeyed the mind as easily as we wished they did..
Wouldn't you agree though that marriage is like an "established" arrangement? - and anything established is generally not that healthy. It's like setting in stone: "I will be with this person all my life, regardless of value changes that may not meet my partner's values" -- we're always undergoing change through life. I just don't feel that you can predict the future by committing yourself to one individual when you could change your mind about a lot of things in life. There's nothing stopping anyone marrying - but is there a necessity to do so? You can have an emotional arrangement without marriage surely? Is the marriage part just to add to the general "emotion" you feel?? I'm sorry I'm not making fun I genuinely see no basis for marriage - but again, I would not like to see this thought imposed on anyone meaning I feel people are free to do what they like. It just all seems very flimsy to me, I'm yet to hear a solid arguement for marriage.
[i]"In trying to solve the terrifying problems that face us in the world today, we naturally turn to the things we do best. We play from strength to strength, and our strength is science and technology." [/i] - B.F. Skinner
Marriage tends to mean a display of conmittment, with that its easier to plan the future as you are holding known variables in your hand so to speak by being able to depend on ones partner to help out.
Nowdays though one has divorce, so whilst a couple may well start off with the intentions of working together for their mutual benefits, at some point, one will decide they can fleace the other and take more than their fair share and leave, litterly having their cake and eating it..
Competition if you like..
I think its fair to say we mostly understand the benefit in cooperation..
Marriage was, very much delcaring in front of ones God, "I hereby will cooperate', which enabled communities to operate with great effiency. (One can still spot this today if you compare religious communities with non-religious ones, the religous ones always tend to be far nicer places to live with people on the whole having a greater collective standard of living..)
As we move away from marriage and committed relationships, we end up in the 'Its all about me' world we see today, where everyone is competing over resources, which include what you can get out of a relationship.
Thus, serial relationships are born, much like many people have serial friends, who are only good for what you can get out of them, should they lose their job, their car, become injured and not able to fix your car, suddenly no one wants to be your friend anymore..
I remember in particularly noticing this when my dad got ill and couldn't fix friends cars anymore, no one wanted to see him..
I rather enjoy the odd moment in the religious area I live when people say good morning to me, or help me with something out of the goodness of their hearts, and not because they are after something.
So the loss of marriage, is I reckon a little more than just throwing off the ball and chain, and we are probably going to lose a bit more than we bargained for in our quest for personal freedom..
In the end, a lot of broken hearts and STD's will be the result, with children suffering the fallout from the lack of a stable family unit..
Want your cake and eat it too ? just be careful you don't spill it on the floor and make a mess..