Monogamy seems to have fallen out of favor among many people, especially with the looming divorce rate. Younger generations now harbor growing cynicism toward traditional romantic commitments. In this landscape, apps fuel the trend by offering an array of non-monogamous options, opening up a world where the lines of relationships are constantly negotiated and redefined.

But monogamy might be making a comeback, according to Coveteur. Apparently, the appeal of monogamy is straightforward: love, trust, and the promise of a committed partner. For progressive Gen Zers, monogamy offers a tantalizing thrill that is paradoxically tied to the fear it evokes. “Monogamy feels like a decision to press ‘sip’ even if you know there is a 50/50 chance of being betrayed, or worse, humiliated in a children’s science museum. With the risk of betrayal, the decision to trust is always a gamble. In that sense, monogamy feels dangerous. It’s risky. Maybe I’ve been corrupted by living in LA too long, but monogamy is starting to feel like the most transgressive option. And isn’t that kind of kinky when you think about it?” the article reads.

[I’m reminded of an old Bloom County entry in which Milo spins a Deathtongue record backwards and it says “Go to church, say your prayers, tithe, tithe!” At a certain point, the new hotness is simply a reflexive gainsay of the current mainstream. The issue isn’t hotness, though, as much as it is effectiveness — and the effectiveness of the nuclear family has proven itself over millennia, even while its practitioners remain imperfect at it. — Ed]