This article was censored from a regional newspaper for criticizing a corrupt business opening shop in Battle Ground, WA.

I am always confused when I see seemingly patriotic Americans walking into and out of Walmart. For a country so largely against Communism, we sure don’t mind supporting their political prisons and forced labor camps with our money.

This year, yet another such exploitative “superstore” will be built in our country – this time coming to suck the economic life of locally owned enterprises and fair wages out of Battle Ground, all in the name of cheap, toxic, imported junk that no one needed in the first place.

While Costco is making news for paying its employees well above minimum wage and thereby supporting local economies across the country, Walmart remains notorious for employees forced to live off of meager food stamp rations, putting further stress on our governmental safety-net systems. They value their workers so much, they have even taken out what is chillingly called, “Dead Peasant” Insurance on their very lives, so the company can make sure to generate a good sum of money should any of their impoverished employees happen to inconvenience them by passing away.

Is this the kind of Un-American exploitation of our citizens and assault on our local businesses we are prepared to take? With companies like Whole Foods and Costco offering great, healthful products and employee benefits, why is the city of Battle Ground choosing instead to allow a corrupt, internationally notorious business like Walmart into our community? Battle Ground is set to move forward, having recently opened a co-op to house local produce and support the health and wellbeing of its citizens, as well as being able to boast a thriving array of local businesses. Let’s continue in the right direction, not regress back to the feudal ages of serfs and (Corrupt CEO) kings. Let’s all of us “peasants” write to city council members today, and demand the space allotted to Walmart be used to house a more ethical company that has local interests at heart; one that will be an asset to our town rather than a destructive economic blight.

SHUT DOWN Walmart – our proud town deserves more respectful businesses practices.

So some of this super insane "Humanity is a disease" and "kill it so the Earth can live" is pretty upsetting. Having studied Ayurveda, I know that number one, we are literally the planet. We are created out of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether. The food we eat becomes our bodies. Insperable, just changing forms.

Second of all, the argument "humanity is a cancer" needs to be understood. Cancer is a group of cells that have gotten out of harmony with the greater whole. Western medicine aims to "kill it" with radiation, etc.: "A war on cancer." This practice of warring on things is actually a practice of self hatred, and part of the disease of viewing things as separate from ourselves, when that is infact impossible.

"Heal Thyself." 

How is this concept different? Holistic medicine aims to get elements that are our of balance, back in harmony. So the solution is not to "kill humans to save the planet," but to get humans back into harmony with Nature - their Greater Self. Nature is not something outside of us to save. It is ourselves, and we are capable of healing, with the correct worldview and actions that stem from it.

A new (or perhaps not so new) movement is emerging into our social spheres, one that espouses "freedom," "enlightenment," & "real love." It positions itself as a solution to infidelity, in an approach Oscar Wilde might recognize - ridding oneself of temptation by yielding to it. Every drug addict's favorite approach... but let's get to that correlation later! For now, just know that there is something you can do to be closer to natural human functioning, show true love to your partner(s....), and be an enlightened being of hallowed perfection & glory all at once! And that is - to date whoever you want, as many people as you want, in any way you want. Because as we know - love is infinite! It never runs out! Therefore, to gain all these benefits and more, you have now been sold: polyamory. It means all your dreams fulfilled & reaching the pinnacle of human evolution. Congratulations, clever soul - you have figured out the key to romance & maybe even life itself: Getting everything you want.

Yes, the enlightened way of living is therefore to pursue the obtainment of all that you desire and.... wait. Enlightenment & hedonism? Now that we think of it, those are rather strange bedfellows, if you will excuse the pun.

Let's explore 10 reasons why maybe we are wrong to glorify polyamory and open relationships as the ultimate human relatedness miracle pill.

1. It's not enlightened.

Enlightenment traditionally has more to do with self-discipline, selflessness, and even a strong degree of renunciation. It is certainly not a devout fan of giving in to every desire of the body. "A man who courts another's wife encounters 3 states, guilt & shame, sleepless nights, and incarnation into hell," suggests the Dhammapada helpfully. The Dhammapada is a major Buddhist text. Is the hell it mentions the fires of unfulfillment, coveting, chemical withdrawl, & jealousy? Let's explore the reflection of these in brain chemistry....

2. It's a brain chemical shitstorm.

Jealousy is a primal response that releases in either sex a flood of testosterone & adrenaline - the fight chemicals that also impede rational judgement. It is the cause of all your favorite "omg I can't believe that!" stories of people spray painting houses or smashing the car windows of their unfaithful lovers. "But I am much too enlightened to do such a thing!" you might protest. Yes, by all means, try to meditate it out. What I hypothesize you will get instead of peace is actually repression - and the physical or psychological ailments to accompany it. Try to "meditate out" being repeatedly smacked in the face. Unless you become a sociopath who is numb to emotion, I bet you wouldn't sit through it for long. Emotional pain activates the same centers in the brain as physical pain. And just the thought of the event renews the damaging experience in the mind, over & over. Memories of pain can cause real harm long after the event has passed.

And in the brains of women? A more fascinating find...

3. It may hit the emotional health of women especially hard.

During sex, women release large amounts of the deep bonding hormone oxytocin, while men release more of the pleasure hormone, dopamine. This means women will likely feel a deep loyalty or responsibility to the relationship formed, while men essentially get a giant body high, a bit like a drug....

4. It can contribute to sex addiction.

There are worse addictions, right? Wrong. Any addiction is a compulsive behavior that has the capacity to ruin lives. Addicts are known to betray & damage loyal bonds to friends and family in order to get their fix. Stealing a parent's checks, borrowing endless money from a friend... leaving your partner alone in a time of need, missing meaningful events, neglecting to show regularly you care, because....

5. There is only so much time in a day.

With other obligations like work, school, hobbies, friends, volunteering, etc that exist in a healthy & balanced life, we only have so much time to dedicate to love or romance. Stopping to buy some flowers, an invite to a dance, a date to an important work or family event - these are precious relationship moments that sustain & provide depth to our romantic bonds. When stretched thin, the absence of these creates a shallow experience at best, and a depressing experience of perpetual exclusion at worst.  We have these various social traditions in place to navigate the benefits and drawbacks of our modern living...

6. It's not very civilized. Or civil.

Ah, natural man. Chasing wild boars, eating wild fruit, mating with the whole flock of females, fighting over resources, dying of diseases we have learned to prevent & treat, being at the mercy of environments we have learned to create powerful buffers from, drawing with mud on cave walls rather than attending a symphony.... We have come a long way as a species, in many ways. In the modern era, ritual sacrifice is generally frowned upon - but we may have lost contact with primal symbolism. We can grow & trade healthy crops - but some methods may use harmful chemicals. In many ways, civilization is out of balance with Nature. In many ways too, it heightens our health, safety, and experience or expression of beauty. The balance to be found, one might conclude, is not in regressing to a hunter-gatherer world. That is not possible at this point, or even wise considering the challenges we face. We do need to reintegrate the natural world with our lives - and at the same time retain the vast benefits of a thusly modified civilization. We can be sexually liberated by seeing sexuality as natural & beautiful rather than sinful or shameful, and still not attempt it with everything that moves, or give in to all our "primal" momentary desires. Just like cell phones and the internet, or even pants & bicycles are not "natural," perhaps neither is monogamy. But does that mean we must give all these things up in order to live a life of truth? No, it doesn't. We are not called to be feral in response to the modern age, we are called to be conscientious & wise in our choices. That is how we will successfully meet the future.

7. Not everyone finds polyamory and open relationships appealing.

Please stop preaching poly, stop your anti-"monogamy's oppression" warpath. Some people feel oppressed instead by the vast emotional nets & complications & maybe even the biological violence of non-exclusivity. They experience it as the profound abuse of cheating. There are other options...

8. Serial monogamy is not that bad.

It can get a negative rap & is generally said with an eye roll, but consider: The relationship investment is protected for the duration it takes place - time, energy, and resources are happily given in their highest capacity to one another. The depths are explored, the full lessons gleaned. And there is no "trap" - should the relationship outgrow itself or should another, stronger romantic bond be anticipated, it can simply come to an end, as all things do in a way. It is still sad, but not as sad as the daily loss of investment during the inevitable resource scarcity of an open relationship. And who knows, sometimes it can last longer....

9. Monogamous relationships that last a lifetime have multiple benefits.

Raising a family, weathering hardship, making things work by working on them, fixing what gets broken rather than tossing something perfectly good for another thing more shiney - these are experiences many of our ancestors had during their life-long journey together. Yes, it involved an unpopular notion for our modern "me first" consumerism-obsessed culture, and that is a certain degree of self sacrifice, "I don't get exactly what I want right now." In life-long monogamy, this could be the equivalent of choosing home grown tomatoes & strawberries over endless cupcakes & candy bars. Is it hard to make the choice? Not for those who value the real happiness of health over short term, damaging & excessive pleasure. The bottom line is....

10. It's a personal choice.

Just because someone doesn't jump naked onto the hippie caravan of polyamory and prefers their warm little homestead of monogamy doesn't mean they are not enlightened, not loving or accepting of their partner, out of touch with their truth, or unevolved emotionally. It means they are happy with their own path & not interested in yours.

So please, let's put down all the fanfare and cool it with the smug, knowing looks. Polyamory, it turns out, might not be so great afterall. And if you think it is - awesome! Kindly take the time to consider it may not be the cure-all for every relationship ill, and go along your merry way. Just leave the rest of us who are already happy as we are out of it.