The exclusive relationship leading to the nuclear family is the standard model for how humans conduct their personal lives. Hardly any room is left for alternatives. This is not so good. I think it is disastrous for personal development. It tends to foster a stunting of growth for individuals. A society made up of individuals who are stunted in such a way will itself be limited.

So, for progress we need to find other ways for intimacy, ways less based on contractual exclusion and more based on an inclusive, shared space where interests are felt to be mutual rather than conflicting. This would be an environment where people come together to engage in common cause and collective endeavour.

The current social and economic climate moves in another direction altogether from what I am proposing and does so with increasing fervour. A better alternative at this point in history is enormously uphill.