If men are biologically programmed to want to reproduce as much as possible, why did men agree to and form the idea of traditional marriages over time?

Hello,

I am sure religion has to do with a lot of it - but not every person in the past believed in a higher power. I am also aware that certain religions practice polygamy. Therefore, I am looking to leave religion out of this conversation as much as possible. I am asking this question from a societal and biological standpoint, while acknowledging that world religions have a large effect on the societal aspects.

Why has it become the norm to have a monogamous husband / wife and kids traditional marriage / relationship if men are essentially biologically built to lust?

It was primarily men that determined this was “the way”, and women who agreed to it, so that’s why I am asking here.

This question came from the mass amount of TikTok and Facebook videos and comments I have seen on the topic in recent months - many women under the age of 40 have begun rallying against porn, and essentially what I understand to be biological male nature.

Posted Aug 31, 2026, 2:31 AM UTC

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