History Main / FreeLoveFuture

* Even the most hedonistic of ancient civilizations might have been shocked at the behavior of certain segments of the gay population during the latter 20th Century. (Chronicled in the documentary [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PlPtwKv1L8&feature=related Gay Sex in the 70's.]]) Free love, no strings attached, casual anonymous sex seemed the norm among certain (mostly urban) gay communities, leading to the (oft mistaken) idea that AllGaysArePromiscuous. Sex was even thought of as a good means of breaking the ice with people you didn't know. (Even so, many promiscuous gays professed a belief in the concept of the One True Love and expressed hope that they would find theirs one day.) It would have been interesting to see how the Sexual Revolution would have played out amongst gay ''and'' straight populations of the hedonistic 70's and 80's if AIDS hadn't have come along to ruin everyone's fun.

* Even the most hedonistic of ancient civilizations might have been shocked at the behavior of certain segments of the gay population during the latter 20th Century. (Chronicled in the documentary [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PlPtwKv1L8&feature=related Gay Sex in the 70's.]]) Free love, no strings attached and casual anonymous sex seemed the norm among certain (mostly urban) gay communities, leading to the idea that AllGaysArePromiscuous.

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[[AC:{{TabletopGames}}]]

*** Yeah, but who takes an aesop delivered by ''Bender'' seriously?

* In ''{{Linburger}}'' all the DemiHuman races live a life of hedonism, with most having or seeking a primary partner, but exclusivity apparently the exception rather than the rule, and are (with some reason) stereotyped as being members of a religion built around it. Humans up on the surface, however, still seem to cling to their old notions of monogamy, but most find reason to nip downstairs and indulge their more libertine fantasies once in a while.

* The original script for ''{{Film/Alien}}'' had a scene where Ripley casually says to Captain Dallas that she needs 'release' and starts taking off her clothes. Of course this could be simply be the norm among long-haul spaceship crews, or to lampshade a previous sexual relationship between the two.

* In the ''RedDwarf'' episode "Holoship", the ship of advanced holograms regards sex as excellent physical exercise. They even have an entire deck devoted to it. The other holograms are very puzzled at the notion that you might "[[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove fall in love]]" and sideline your own agenda for the benefit of someone else.

*** The show features multiple instances of a more open attitude towards sexuality and romance in the future, though there are some confusions. The episode ''Gridlock'' features a female married couple well into their seventies, and there's some disjointedness in their friend Braniggan's basically good hearted jesting about how their being married is "modern talk" and he's "an old fashioned cat". Given that Gridlock is set ''several billion years'' beyond the present day one has to wonder just how far perspectives have changed in all that time.
**** The comic "Agent Provocateur" shows that the Catkind have only been an advanced civilization for just over a hundred years by the time of "Gridlock".

* In ''CulpaInnata'', the Union society has been restructured to be based on purely scientific principles. One of which completely dissolves the traditional family unit and the concept of marriage... sorry, a "[[YouKeepUsingThatWord nuptual agreement]]". People are expected to have multiple sexual partners, although you can have a primary sexual partner, which has no legal status. Also, for sole reason, men are no longer the courtiers. Women are expected to ask men out and pay for dinners and the like. If a man starts hitting on a woman, she will usually leave in disgust. This can be a problem for immigrants from the "rogue states" (Russia, India, China, etc.), which still cling to old traditions. Phoenix even warns an Indian immigrant applying for Union citizenship, who confesses to having multiple affairs, while his wife couldn't due to a DoubleStandard stigma, that he should have no such expectations in the Union. Jealousy is never mentioned, as attachment is frowned upon. Phoenix also speaks with her best friend about nuptial agreements and the thought of being with the same person for more than a week, let alone decades, is disturbing, as boredom would set in.

* In ''{{Linburger}}'' all the DemiHuman races live a life of hedonism, with most having or seeking a primary partner, but exclusivity apparently the exception rather than the rule, and are (with some reason) stereotyped as being members of a religion built around it.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', it was apparently so common for humans to fall in love with Sex Robots that the Space Pope ([[http://theinfosphere.org/File:Space_Pope.jpg Crocodylus Pontifex!]]) and the Space Catholic Church had to produce PSA warnings against it. The idea was explored further in "Propositon Infinity", which revolves around an attempt to legalize robosexual marriage.

* Ironically given how rigid Clan society normally is in ''{{BattleTech}}'', Clan warriors pretty much have this. The casual attitude they have regarding sex as simple off-duty recreation is specifically one of the things that make them seem more alien to the average citizen of the Inner Sphere.

* Iain M. Banks' ''[[TheCulture Culture]]'' novels are suggested to be extremely open, same sex, multisex and sexchanging are all common. Near the start of ''Player of Games'', it's suggested Gurgeh is kinda weird for only seeing woman and trying monogamy.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', it was apparently so common for humans to fall in love with Sex Robots that the Government (technically the Space Pope and the Space Catholic Church?) had to produce PSA warnings against it. The idea was explored further in "Propositon Infinity", which revolves around an attempt to legalize robosexual marriage.

* ChakonaSpace seems to fit the description, at least as far as [[FunnyAnimal morphs]] and especially Chakats are concerned. And their human lovers usually learn to accept it, Admiral Boyce eventually has five wives and two of those wives have other mates.

* ''ElfQuest'' is a variation. The elves are descended from an advanced species who are implied to have outgrown the need for physical pleasure. Acquiring elf form restored their ability to feel sexual pleasure, and they've been exploring every possible (consenting adult) variety ever since. It helps that the elves' birthrate is low.

* ''ElfQuest'' is a variation. The elves are descended from an advanced species who are implied to have outgrown the need for physical pleasure. Acquiring elf form restored their ability to feel sexual pleasure, and they've been exploring every possible (consenting adult) variety ever since.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', it was apparently so common for humans to fall in love with Sex Robots that the Government (technically the Space Pope and the Space Catholic Church?) had to produce PSA warnings against it.

See also EternalSexualFreedom, FetishFuelFuture. This trope is also the logical extension of the EverybodyHasLotsOfSex setting.

See also EternalSexualFreedom, FetishFuelFuture.

Less easy to handwave, though, is the issue of jealousy. In the present day, many people would take a very dim view of their partner sleeping with [[YourCheatingHeart ''one'' other person]], never mind having sex with ''anyone'' who took their fancy. Idealistic views of love often include ideas of one, single soul mate. Conversely, in its more negative incarnations, love is commonly [[LoveMakesYouCrazy associated with jealousy]] (or even, [[LoveMakesYouEvil possession]]). While a few stories will make a real attempt at explaining the decline of jealousy (since we already [[YoureJustJealous acknowledge]] it as one of the more [[GreenEyedMonster negative emotions]]), a more common tactic is to demonise or mock anyone who expects a partner to be exclusive to them. They will probably be regarded as backward, repressed or selfish in a Free Love Future. They don't have to go AxeCrazy or [[Film/FatalAttraction bunny-boiler]] to be labelled a jealous nutcase - even asking a partner to be faithful will probably be seen as a laughable expectation at best, and a selfish demand that infringes on the other person's rights at worst.

Openly sexual societies are also frequently predicted to be the result of disassociation between sex and reproduction, for example, in a civilization that embraces [[GattacaBabies Ectogenesis]] ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectogenesis *]]) or selective breeding (in which cases contraception may be not only popular but ''mandatory'') and sexually-transmitted diseases would be given the same regard as influenzas.

Families as a standard child-rearing unit may or may not exist, and most likely would deviate from the "traditional" nuclear family; at the very least, coupled biological parents of children won't be expected to live together or with their children. Expect NoBloodTies to be commonplace, if not the norm. In this case, you might see a lot of ParentsAsPeople.

Less easy to handwave, though, is the issue of jealousy, which is so ingrained in contemporary society that some attempt at address will be expected by the audience. Indeed, love is commonly [[LoveMakesYouCrazy associated with jealousy]] (or more traditionally, [[LoveMakesYouEvil associated with possession]]). As jealousy is already, to some degree, stigmatic (note the supertext of [[YoureJustJealous this]] trope), it makes some sense that, even though interpersonal jealousy is common and accepted in the present day, some people expect that it will be differently regarded in the future. Anyone who expects a partner to be exclusive to them will probably be regarded as backward, repressed or selfish in a Free Love Future. They don't have to go AxeCrazy or [[FatalAttraction bunny-boiler]] to be labelled a jealous nutcase - even asking a partner to be faithful will probably be seen as a laughable expectation at best, and a selfish demand that infringes on the other person's rights at worst.

Families as a standard child-rearing unit may or may not exist, and most likely would deviate from the "traditional" nuclear family; at the very least, coupled biological parents of children won't be expected to live together or with their children. Expect NoBloodTies to be commonplace, if not the norm. Outside of biologically related families, kids may be communally raised, fostered or adopted out, or even integrated into a state-based boarded education system. Parenting duties may be delegated to a select group, or regulated to trained and licensed guardians. If the civilization also sports a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_scarcity post-scarcity]] economy, children may be issued rights and independence sooner, and be allowed to determine their own habitats and social destinies. In this case, you might see a lot of ParentsAsPeople.

Less easy to handwave, though, is the issue of jealousy, which is so ingrained in contemporary society that some attempt at address will be expected by the audience. Indeed, love is commonly [[LoveMakesYouCrazy associated with jealousy]] (or more traditionally, [[LoveMakesYouEvil associated with possession]]). As jealousy is already, to some degree, stigmatic (note the supertext of [[{{ptitle4mnuvch9oyjr}} this]] trope), it makes some sense that, even though interpersonal jealousy is common and accepted in the present day, some people expect that it will be differently regarded in the future. Anyone who expects a partner to be exclusive to them will probably be regarded as backward, repressed or selfish in a Free Love Future. They don't have to go AxeCrazy or [[FatalAttraction bunny-boiler]] to be labelled a jealous nutcase - even asking a partner to be faithful will probably be seen as a laughable expectation at best, and a selfish demand that infringes on the other person's rights at worst.

* In the second part (of three) of Arthur C. Clarke's [[{{ptitle2aqvmmww}} Childhood's End]] the perfection of contraception, STI treatment and paternity-tracking technology are all that are necessary to cause civilization to become a global ''Free Love Society'' inside a single generation. Clarke notes that the [[BenevolentAlienInvasion Overlords]] didn't have anything directly to do with these developments.