History Main / FreeLoveFuture

* In the December 1955 ''The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'' a controversial article "The Day After We Land On Mars" by Robert S. Richardson suggested that given that men would be cooped up for years on an expedition to Mars, some "nice girls" be sent along to relieve their tension.

* ''The Bio of a Space Tyrant'' series by Creator/PiersAnthony. Jupiter's space navy require all soldiers to engage in mandatory heterosexual relations at least once a week to discourage homosexuality (it's pointed out the logic of this is somewhat flawed). Soldiers make use of a military brothel called the Tail, which soldiers can also volunteer to be assigned to as prostitutes. However this is such a FanDisservice experience (plus Hope is still mourning [[TheLostLenore his first love]]) that he fails to get aroused. As a result he's paired with a female recruit who has similar problems because she was raped in the past. She thinks the Navy coercing her into having sex is NotSoDifferent, but she can at least tolerate sex with Hope because their DarkAndTroubledPast enables them to form a CommonalityConnection.

* In the ''Series/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; predictably, [[spoiler:this is exactly what happens to Rimmer's entrance exam opponent]]. There's a reason for that. The crew of the Holoship are notoriously arrogant and all speak very coldly and professionally, even while having sex. Rimmer's passion for joining the crew ended up making him the most attractive man on that ship. One of the holograms says that humanity abandoned the concept of family in the 25th century when scientists proved that all psychological hang-ups are caused by parents.

* The Wiki/SCPFoundation has SCP-3651, a portal to an alternate Earth where the love gods from humanity's various mythologies took over the world in the wake of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to prevent humanity from destroying themselves via nuclear war. The result is a free-love present with the article focusing on how their society changed as a result.

* [[Creator/IainBanks Iain M. Banks]]'s [[Literature/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. Confirmed in ''Excession'' where it is stated that monogamy is extremely rare, it is far more normal for a couple to stay together throughout their offspring's childhood and adolescence but even this isn't a given.

There is [[EthicalSlut no longer any social stigma attached to promiscuity]]. In fact, the few who ''are'' strictly monogamous, or [[NatureAbhorsAVirgin virgins]]/[[CelibateHero celibate]] are likely to be the ones who get weird looks. No-strings-attached sex may be seen as a great way of getting to know people, a good method of recreation, a good method of resolving conflicts and keeping the peace or, alternatively, it may be suggested that it's a biological imperative to have children by as many people as possible (a popular concept when [[DepopulationBomb the resident population is limited]] -- such as colonies or AfterTheEnd events). The attitude to sex may vary from a cheerfully accepted part of life ("Hey, I'm bored. Wanna test the bedsprings?") to a pragmatic one ("Damn, the kid I had with George turned out to be AxCrazy. Better have the next one with John."). No-one really cares who you sleep with either -- any and all partners are acceptable.

Less easy to [[HandWaving handwave]], though, is the one issue technology isn't likely to fix: jealousy. In the present day, many people would take a very dim view of their partner sleeping with ''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. It could, however be explained as [[ValuesDissonance everyone being raised that way,]] and therefore most everyone not caring because it's been ingrained in them since birth. There are also the cases where sex is entirely separated from romance, allowing the characters to have a single ''soul''mate, but considering that sleeping with someone else is perfectly normal because there's just no correlation between the two, from their point of view.

Commonly, a Free-Love Society will socially legitimize extra-marital affairs, where you may be married to one person, but it's socially acceptable to [[UnusualEuphemism explore]] other people.

[[{{Dystopia}} Dystopian]] free-love societies will emphasize [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove depersonalization of sex]]. In works depicting less extreme societies, expect a lot of [[{{Polyamory}} polyamorous relationships]], that is, full-spectrum friend and lover relationships in which intimacy is part of the mutual trust, but exclusivity is outside the defined commitment.

Often involves an EveryoneIsBi society. A DoubleStandard may be in operation, often ensuring that one gender is sexually available for their entire lives while the other can only do so until they get married, whereupon they are expected to be faithful to their partner. Often interpreted as wish fulfillment or AuthorAppeal, especially if they remember TheSixties.

* In ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings III'', Polyamory is a valid tenet for religions you've reformed or created yourself (none of the historical ones start with it), and requires that adultery for both genders is tolerated by said religion. Polygamy essentially removes all penalties associated with sleeping with someone who isn't your spouse from all adherents of the religion. When combined with the Carnal Exaltation tenet and the Unrestricted Marriage doctrine, the result is a religion that ''promotes'' sleeping around with anyone and everyone.

Less easy to [[HandWaving handwave]], though, is the one issue technology isn't likely to fix: jealousy. In the present day, many people would take a very dim view of their partner sleeping with ''one'' [[YourCheatingHeart 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. It could, however be explained as [[ValuesDissonance everyone being raised that way,]] and therefore most everyone not caring because it's been ingrained in them since birth. There are also the cases where sex is entirely separated from romance, allowing the characters to have a single ''soul''mate, but considering that sleeping with someone else is perfectly normal because there's just no correlation between the two, from their point of view.

** Manticore takes the trope in another direction: so long as it's between consenting adults, whatever relationship or lack thereof one wants and can find partners for is acceptable, and nobody raises an eyebrow about strict monogamy, asexuality, homosexuality, {{polyamory}} or a girl in every port. ([[YourCheatingHeart Cheating on a committed relationship]] is ''not'' okay, but that's because you're [[IGaveMyWord breaking your word]].) The author makes an {{Anvilicious}} contrast between this and Beowulf's version; Manticore's is portrayed as the [[{{Utopia}} utopian]] version, while Beowulf pushes a bit further down the [[{{Dystopia}} dystopian]] road than would be ideal.

* In ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings III'', Polyamory is a valid tenet for religions you've reformed or created yourself (none of the historical ones start with it), and requires that aldultery for both genders is tolerated by said religion. Polygamy essentially removes all penalties associated with sleeping with someone who isn't your spouse from all adherents of the religion. When combined with the Carnal Exaltation tenet and the Unrestricted Marriage doctrine, the result is a religion that ''promotes'' sleeping around with anyone and everyone.

* In ''TabletopGame/CthulhuTech'' casual sex is seen as perfectly normal, although most people use it as a way to eventually meet someone with which they want to have a monogamous relationship.

** Beta Colony is described has having very relaxed mores. The age of consent is approximately puberty, and for girls there is a small rite of passage with the first contraceptive implant, and the Orb of Unearthly Delights is a bordello famous throughout the galaxy. There are no prostitutes as such, but there are plenty of licensed ''sexual therapists''.[[note]]That's not a euphemism. Licensed Practicing Sexual Therapists are required to at least have a minor in psychology. Or as Sgt. Bothari once put it, "Only on Beta Colony does a whore need a bloody university degree."[[/note]] Betans wear coded ear rings to advertise their partnership status and avoid complicated guessing games. Also, hermaphrodites are somewhat common. It's worth noting that unlike other examples, fidelity and monogamy are consider perfectly valid choices. And while sex mores are rather loose, ''reproduction'' is ''very'' strictly controlled.

* The Creator/MarquisDeSade dreamed of this future and extensively [[AuthorTract advocated it through his written works]]. A direct witness to UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution, he, along with many of his characters, identified as a libertine, one who believes nothing, not even God, should stop one's pursuit of physical pleasure of all types-- especially sexual, which was the primary focus of his works. Some were written strictly to offend (''Literature/The120DaysOfSodom''), others to actively promote his viewpoints as said earlier and [[WishFulfillment do all the things he wanted to do]] (''Philosophy in the Bedroom''), but virtually all his written works, including what survives that he didn't publish, are marked by extreme erotica not just between consenting adults [[BiTheWay of all genders and orientations]] but also [[PaedoHunt between adults and children]], [[GratuitousRape between]] ''[[GratuitousRape non-]]''[[GratuitousRape consenting adults,]] and even [[IncestIsRelative family members]]. He believed such a future was the best path for humanity going forward, and that it should have been an inevitable consequence of the Revolution. Arguably, Sade [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerated]] this trope because he believed that literally nothing, not even mass murder, should be criminalized, as long as such things are committed for the sake of pleasure. Of course, that includes things that don't provide sexual thrills, but he loved integrating torture into his love life, and believed it should be allowed to escalate to murder if that pleased whoever was committing it. His novels are rife with examples of victims being tortured, sometimes to death, by people who derive sexual satisfaction from the act. There's a reason he is the [[TropeNamer namesake]] of sadism, though nowadays most would prefer SafeSaneAndConsensual instead of the depravity he advocated. To top it all off, he ''did'' try to live out his fantasies; he spent many years in and out of prison for his troubles, and even died in an asylum.

One may notice from the discussion that neither "Free" nor "Love" truly define the trope. "Free Love Future" may entail mandatory sex without love.

* Probably the case in ''Film/StarshipTroopers'', given how everyone regarded the unisex, communal showers as no big deal. In the shower scene it was mentioned that you need a [[PopulationControl license to reproduce]], so perhaps contraception is mandatory.

* In ''Literature/TheDispossessed'', it is mentioned that people who aren't coupled frequently engage in one-night stands. Also, it is not uncommon for friends to have sex with each other to affirm their bond. The main character Shevek has sex with his male friend, even though Shevek is not particularly attracted to him

* ''Literature/TheForeverWar'' by Joe Haldeman. By law no-one can be conscripted into the military unless they are already promiscuous, and in basic training all recruits have a 'sleeping roster' where they're assigned a different partner every night (which leads to grumbling that you always get the dead-tired ones when you're horny, and vice versa). By the end of their first tour though, everyone has settled into a regular (though still not strictly monogamous) relationship with someone. Due to TimeDilation however human society has changed vastly since they left; promiscuous heterosexual relationships are discouraged due to over-population. With homosexuality the norm, such behaviour is regarded (at best) as a quaint anachronism and at worst outright perversion.

* In Creator/SergeyLukyanenko's ''[[Literature/ALordFromPlanetEarth Sea of Glass]]'', the protagonist is a modern-day man who ends up in the 22nd century at the end of the previous novel. At one point, he encounters a group of people known as rodders (a mix of bikers and hippies), who choose to live on the road (no bikes, though). He then sees three of them (two males and a female) having wild sex in the middle of the woods. He returns to an old rodder and asks if this is how things are done now, especially since one of the males is 13 (age in the 22nd century is no longer a sign of maturity; once a person can prove his or her independence, he or she is considered an adult). The man replies that this is a price to pay for the complete freedom their society enjoys. Freedom and arbitrary rules don't mix. It is not clear if this behavior is only limited to rodders or is prevelent in the general population. The protagonist himself is happily married to his HumanAlien [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]] wife, but both of them are from the late 20th century.