Wedlocked

'I have strong reservations about your cover story 'The Monogamy Myth' (December 1). Reading it, we were made to feel that infidelity is something which we naturally veer towards, because the longevity of life makes it difficult to remain loyal to our chosen partner. This is a completely flawed argument, as with the passage of time, invariably, the marital bond gets stronger, unless the compatibility factor is missing. Which is another matter altogether. Indeed, consider the fact that the West looks up to us for our strong family values and ideal societal norms that we maintain with our stress on traditional values. We should take pride in them and not search for aberrations to prove that existing reality is a 'myth', and do it just to create cheap sensation.

-- Manju Pant, via email

Thou shalt not provoke

With reference to 'The Monogamy Myth' (December 1), monogamy is not a myth, but reality. In a majority of marriages the partners stand by each other. Marriages are not just sexual exclusivity. Man and woman complement each other physically and emotionally. In most marriages the sexual urge diminishes with age but the emotional desire grows. Australian researchers have found that couples with over 40 years of marriage are the happiest Advocating polyamorous relationships, legalising gay marriages and accepting homosexuality mark a clear moral decline in our society. Moral decadence will sound the death-knell of modern civilization. The Bible teaches that in the pre-historic times peoples and cities have perished due to moral decadence. In our time we see this moral decline. Will history repeat itself?

-- Bento Cardozo, via email

But thou shalt evolve

For knowledgeable humans, unlike animals and primitive societies, sex and procreation are now disconnected (' The Monogamy Myth', December 1). With the advancements in reproductive technologies they will continue to move further away. Pregnancy and its timing will be a matter of choice and not chance, leading to greater empowerment for the women. These would be strongly opposed in societies that wish to keep women suppressed. Male greed to inseminate many females no longer works. Thus, both for men and women sex will be exclusively for pleasure. With wider social acceptance, live-in relationships with serial monogamy or different forms of open relationships will become the norm for the coming generations. Society will have to formulate new laws to provide for natural justice and prevent exploitation.

-- C R Bhatia, via email

Capital offence

With regard to 'Breaking Noose' (Cover, November 30), an eye for an eye cannot be a right answer for a country like India that conveys the legacy of Vivekananda and the Mahatma, who inspired us to treat 'life' above all. Democracy must not reflect a centralised view but multiple and exceptional views. Unfortunately India now denies many 'other views'. Before carrying out acts of capital punishment, there should have a system to know the mandate on this issue because times are changing but our law stays in the past. A government is more responsible to its people, for their wealth and safety. But governments seem to be indifferent about the common people, and appear more than eager to play narrow political and sentimental games, denying the liberal and constructive politics that's needed.

-- U K Bhowmik, via email