Big Love reversed--could you imagine?

[Dawny]

So, I was thinking about Big Love today. Could you imagine the show if the situation were reversed gender-wise? One wife, three husbands? :) What male actors would be good candidates to play the 1st, 2nd & 3rd? Would it still be a drama? Can you imagine what the compound would look like?

I think I am so intrigued by this show because I lived very close to a "compound" (Colorado City, AZ and Hilsdale AZ right on the state line--Jeff's compound) when I lived in Utah for four years. :eek: I know that there were "mainstream" families secretly living the principle (as in the show) as well.

I am also intrigued by the show because it it such a good one! Well written and acted,etc. But wouldn't it be funny to imagine it switched up? I mean, at the very least it could be a good SNL skit, maybe? I'm just saying.... :p

PS--guys-- are there any of you out there that would really want more than one wife? :D

[Peter000]

I don't know that I would even want ONE wife, much less multiple wives. :o

It's very hard for me to imagine the other way around. It's biology... the woman has limited eggs, the guys practically have unlimited sperm. Also, guys would probably kill each other faster than the women would. ;)

I could see maybe a multiple marriage... like several guys to several women.

[wmcbrine]

There have been a few cultures that practiced polyandry (i.e., multiple husbands), but you have to go somewhere like Tibet to find it.

[atrac]

I don't know that I would even want ONE wife, much less multiple wives. :o

+1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jesda]

Take the religious rituals and marriage contracts out, and theyre better off all dating at the same time.

[JETarpon]

Multiple husbands, multiple wives. Line marriage or clan marriage, Heinlein style. That would be cool.

[Bob Coxner]

With selective abortions in China the ratio of male babies to female babies is as high as 1.8 to 1 in some provinces. It's similar in India and the gap is growing, given the preference for male children. In 20 years or so, there are going to be tens of millions of extra men without equivalent women. Polyandry is about the only solution available.

[Marc]

Assuming that all the males in the family had sex with the female within the same fertilization cycle, it'd be very interesting not to know specifically who fathered the child.

Genetically speaking, from an evolutionary viewpoint, having multiple sperm competing for the egg could improve the genetic line over many generations of polyandry.

[dswallow]

Polyandry is about the only solution available.
Umm, no it's not. ;)

[drumorgan]

Genetically speaking, from an evolutionary viewpoint, having multiple sperm competing for the egg could improve the genetic line over many generations of polyandry.

Wouldn't this just select for faster swimming sperm, and not necessarily any other traits that would be visible after birth?

[Jesda]

Umm, no it's not. ;)

LMFAO. Oh yeah, that!

[Marc]

Wouldn't this just select for faster swimming sperm, and not necessarily any other traits that would be visible after birth?
I was thinking that could be the case, but that early in the morning, I wasn't sure if I was thinking well enough, so I posted anyway. :)

[Shaunnick]

You don't have to go as far as you would think. ;)


Church of All Worlds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon_Zell-Ravenheart)


Actually, here is the one I was looking for

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Community

[dswallow]

Actually, here is the one I was looking for

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Community
What a neat history behind a rather prevalent brand of silverware.

[Shaunnick]

What a neat history behind a rather prevalent brand of silverware.

I read about the group years ago in a book about random facts and trivia. The book went into detail about "initiations" for both the young men and women in the group. Ummm, interesting ideas for sure. I have no beef with people who choose to live lifestyles that they feel is right for them, but 40 year old men and women sleeping with 14 year old boys and girls. Yech. But, a different time, I suppose.

[ironchef]

I watch and like Big Love, but this aspect of "the principle" has always bothered me. The lead character is one of the boys who were run off the compound because of the unworkable demographics of the lifestyle. Would the patriarchs who espouse this lifestyle be so eager if it were the other way around? Or even equal (polyandry)?

THe other question that always strikes me about the real life religious types is why do they always end up chasing 12 year old girls in the end?

[Dawny]

THe other question that always strikes me about the real life religious types is why do they always end up chasing 12 year old girls in the end?


To be entirely fair here, some religious types chase 12 year old boys in the end. And I don't know. I have always been mystified by that type of behavior, religiously sanctioned or not. But I like your discussion of the show. The biological discussion that precedes in the thread is all interesting and true but I was honestly not trying to be quite so literal..I was thinking of the proposition in terms of "tv land" hypothesis. To the viewing audience, polyandry is no stranger than polygamy, is it? You think people would still watch?

I agree that there is no biologically based reasoning behind it and fully acknowledge and appreciate the role of both sperm and egg in procreation! :p :)

[JETarpon]

I watch and like Big Love, but this aspect of "the principle" has always bothered me. The lead character is one of the boys who were run off the compound because of the unworkable demographics of the lifestyle. Would the patriarchs who espouse this lifestyle be so eager if it were the other way around? Or even equal (polyandry)?

The "other way around" (one wife, multiple husbands) is polyandry.

Polygamy: multiple spouses (either way)
Polyandry: One wife, multiple husbands
Polygyny: One husband, multiple wives

[Dawny]

Assuming that all the males in the family had sex with the female within the same fertilization cycle, it'd be very interesting not to know specifically who fathered the child.

Genetically speaking, from an evolutionary viewpoint, having multiple sperm competing for the egg could improve the genetic line over many generations of polyandry.

Ah, now there are some storylines! I never thought of that, not knowing who the father was--who would bear primary responsibility for each baby, then?

[Dawny]

The "other way around" (one wife, multiple husbands) is polyandry.

Polygamy: multiple spouses (either way)
Polyandry: One wife, multiple husbands
Polygyny: One husband, multiple wives


Quite so, polygamy is more of a blanket term, isn't it. I had forgotten that.

[busyba]

some religious types chase 12 year old boys in the end.
Hee hee.... you said "in the end". :p

[ironchef]

To be entirely fair here, some religious types chase 12 year old boys in the end. And I don't know. I have always been mystified by that type of behavior, religiously sanctioned or not. :p :)


At what point in your daily talks with god does he start telling you to check out 12 year olds of either sex?

I don't think the general tv viewer would be interested in the more fringe variations except from a titillation standpoint. Good writing is propping up Big Love, but how long would you watch it if it was done as a sit com ala Three's Company?

[Graymalkin]

Wasn't this sort of the set-up in "Three Men and a Little Lady"?

[LlamaLarry]

THe other question that always strikes me about the real life religious types is why do they always end up chasing 12 year old girls in the end?Well, when the males can have as many wives as they choose you have to acquire them as soon as possible lest someone else grab them first. If the mate pool is not from a closed society then the pressure to marry them early would likely be reduced.

[TivoFan]

Assuming that all the males in the family had sex with the female within the same fertilization cycle, it'd be very interesting not to know specifically who fathered the child.

Genetically speaking, from an evolutionary viewpoint, having multiple sperm competing for the egg could improve the genetic line over many generations of polyandry.

I think it is more likely that the greater benefit would be having several men providing for the welfare of the family and children.

[mrmike]

At what point in your daily talks with god does he start telling you to check out 12 year olds of either sex?

Not to in any way condone this sort of thing but in the not so distant past it was not uncommon for the nobility to marry at a very young age (12-13). Mary QoS was crowned when 8 days old, shipped of to court at 6 and married at 14 or 15 IIRC. It's only recently (with changes in our social structure and life expectancy) that we view this as abberant. There are still states in the union that allow marriage as young as 14 with parental consent.

[drumorgan]

The pendulum has swung the other way now. Women are going into their 40's before they feel the need to get married and have children, ala Sex in the City. My wife was 25 with our first baby, and we would be at the park with the other moms who averaged 45 years old with their first.

To misquote George Carlin, "Anybody who gets married younger than we did is a maniac, anybody who gets married older than we did is an idiot."