Reader's Feedback - No Middle Ground

Thoughtful Comments (See QUIPS Below)

• In the world of relationships, The Relationships Book – Sensuality/Intimacy/Sex is akin to the ancient tale of the ‘Emperor Who Wore No Clothes’. Our culture and institutions train us to pledge allegiance to the concept of the Exclusive Soul Mate – the One and Only in a Lifetime.

  But in our current reality, we have serial intimacies, serial marriages, blatant or clandestine promiscuity – cheating, intermittent months or years of unconnected aloneness… millions of children without stable, concerned, and responsible multi-adults in their daily lives.

  If some or much of this Diaspora of families is being caused by the hypocritical myths of life-long exclusive sexual relationships, maybe it’s time for our religious and social institutions to call for a ‘Change of the Emperor’s Robe’. How could one of life’s beautiful gifts – sensuality – cause so much confusion, pain, anger and heart break. It’s crazy. Rev. C. S. Seattle

• Who cares about sex? In our family we’ve almost stopped doing it. And things are just fine without it. When I hear the folks at the office in their messes – I just laugh. P. M. Washington DC

• This is simply trash! Accepting some of these ideas would simply destroy the very fabric of any society – it’s families. If published thoughts can be obscene – then this ought to be banned from sale – even on the Internet. Just burn them. This material is crazy. Rev. P. W. Omaha Area

• Looking back at my college years, what I mostly remember are my parents. Something had been bothering them for several years. It was obvious in their behaviors. They acted differently (my brother and I later found out the cause was sex.) First my father started a secret affair that didn’t remain a secret very long. Then my mother started an affair in retaliation. Then they got divorced. Pretty crazy. The property settlement fights were hysterically funny – just dumb. Even dumber, I may be restarting the cycle now with my partner. T. M. Chicago

• So many people assume that individuals that cheat on their partners don’t love them any more. But that’s not accurate. I cheat frequently – and still love my partner, kids and family. Loving them is the reason I cheat – if I didn’t have affairs I would go brain dead – have to quit this partner and have to start looking for a new partner and family. B.B London Area

• Each of Mankind was intended to have ONE sexual partner in a lifetime. Period. Simple. End of the story. This kind of insane questioning is what’s causing all the divorces and grief. P. M. Asheville

• If each individual – man and woman – could have more than one intimate partner – openly and candidly – then maybe we wouldn’t have so many divorces and broken families. E.B. New Hampshire

• I haven’t had any sexual activities or intimate relationships since my last divorce. Mean who needs it anyway. I’m sure there are lots of folks just like me all over. L.A. LA

• Does anyone ever stop and think how really crazy our ideas, attitudes and assumptions are about sexuality. Some people kill each other – thrash their kid’s lives – over touching some small body-parts. Insane. M.K. Dallas

• We’ve spent more than a century trying to bring equality to more than half the citizens of the world – it’s females. Females need to be part of Equalitarian Sensual Relationships. Let’s get rid of our ‘Partner Ownership’ mindset and practices – let each individual seek their own level of enjoyable sensuality, even with added long-term lovers. It’s crazy to keep shattering our families and children’s lives over something as simple as typical imbalances in sexual interest levels between partners. Let highs be with highs – lows with lows. If it weren’t for our crazy training and hypocrisies – it wouldn’t be that complicated. M. D. Houston Area

Notable QUIPS

• I got copies for my ex-husbands

• Everybody knows our current relationship system is a sham. So-called Relationship ‘Rules’ are no longer followed. This writings in this book just make the sham easier to understand and follow.

• Wish we both had read this before the divorce

• Who gave these people the right to question our Society’s norms – how we organize our families

• Do we still burn books? This is a candidate.