What is a relationship?

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by Catwoman

This is exactly what I mean. Don't worry cj there's nothing wrong or odd about your situation. It only seems strange to you because we have accepted the idealistic (ie. wrong) idea that love is exclusive, there's one person for everyone, soulmates etc etc. In fact, love is the opposite. The only true love is the love we feel for everyone, if only we could become aware of it!

Wrong? Its been working for several thousand years.

And how do we raise children in a world without families?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Beestie

And how do we raise children in a world without families?

The Party will raise them.

[limey]

Without the short-hand of labels wouldn't we all go nuts trying to work out what's going on with who?
Without the labels, wouldn't we all forever be making huge social gaffes? (Making a pass at a bloke I've just been introduced to by a woman friend of mine only to discover later that they're in an exclusive sexual relationship, for example?)
Can't you just take the labels as a short and definitely non-comprehensive starting point for identifying that person's place in the social grouping your moving in?
The label I object to most is not the relationship one, but the job one. Speaking as someone who has relatively often taken jobs that are a long way from defining me and my interests I found it hard to be defined as a hospital cleaner or an insurance broker. Neither of these terms were/are adequate descriptions of the person I am.
Yes, I know this post contradicts itself ....