Esther Perel: Navigating the future of relationships requires honest negotiation

Johnny Boston / ,

Posted on: June 25, 2015 / Last Modified: June 25, 2015

Esther PerelFrom a life partner we expect equal opposites; sex and intimacy, connection and individuality, security and adventure–but is it possible to balance these different sets of needs within a single relationship? Has our model of having one life partner, to provide all our physical and emotional desires, become too excessive?

Today, the percentage of people getting married in the U.S. is at an all time low. Of those who do get married, half get divorced. It is clear: society is going through a cultural shift on how we view and define marriage. Marriage is no longer forever; it is for now.  As relationship therapist Esther Perel says, “Marriage is not the end of romance, it is the beginning.”  

When most people consider the future, their thoughts gravitate towards advances in science and technology. Although these fields are important, as a society we should begin to consider the future regarding relationships.  

Esther Perel is a noted author and therapist who analyzes relationships daily.  Her book Mating in Captivity is a hit, offering a new and exciting view on intimacy and sex.  She has also been featured on TED Talks, and voices her views of how relationships, desire, sex, and love, are constantly changing.   

As a people, we have become more connected due to technology being a driving force in the world. Thus, our ability to meet new people has significantly expanded–an example of which is online dating, wherein one’s access to new potential partners seems infinite.  

Still, individual freedom is something for which many wish. In seeking this freedom, it is possible that people have lost real understanding of the word “couple”.  We are faced with a choice: having to choose between freedom, and obtaining a sense of belonging to another person.    

Therapist Esther Perel explores these new realities in her interview with Galactic Public Archives, suggesting that we, as a society, need to take a look at what we are asking from our partners, and be willing to renegotiate boundaries.

About the Author:

Johnny-BostonJohnny Boston is a filmmaker and creative director who grew up in Europe and is now living on the East Coast. Johnny is currently working on a film inspired by his friend, futurist FM-2030. The Ken Hayworth video above is the first release in a multi-part series. To see more of Boston’s videos please check out the Galactic Public Archives’ channel on YouTube.

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