--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People in long-term, monogamous…" description: "\"People in long-term, monogamous relationships are crushed by the expectation that a partner is going to provide everything they are looking for and won..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/steve-almond-9602_crushed_people-in-long-term-monogamous-relations_260956.png" --- # People in long-term, monogamous relationships are crushed… ![“People in long-term, monogamous relationships are crushed by the expectation that a partner is going to provide everything they are looking for and wondering why they are dissatisfied when they have four of the ten boxes checked.” quote by Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/steve-almond-9602_crushed_people-in-long-term-monogamous-relations_260956.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/steve-almond-9602_crushed_people-in-long-term-monogamous-relations_260956.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/steve-almond-9602_crushed_people-in-long-term-monogamous-relations_260956.png) > “People in long-term, monogamous relationships are crushed by the expectation that a partner is going to provide everything they are looking for and wondering why they are dissatisfied when they have four of the ten boxes checked.” [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that unrealistic expectations in monogamous relationships cause dissatisfaction, even when many needs are met. **In simple terms:** Unrealistic expectations lead to unhappiness despite many needs being met. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations and communicate needs. Themes relationships expectations dissatisfaction communication Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice observational When to use this quote - marriage counseling - friendship - cohabitation - long‑term partnership Key Concepts psychology relationship dynamics needs assessment Questions to Reflect On - What needs are you truly missing? - How can you appreciate what is present? A Different Perspective People may overlook positive aspects due to idealized standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crushed/) [Dissatisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissatisfied/) [Expectation Partner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation-partner-2572254/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Monogamous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monogamous/) [Monogamous relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monogamous-relationship/) [Monogamous Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monogamous-relationships-1837849/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Relationships Crushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships-crushed-2572253/) [Term Monogamous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-monogamous-2572255/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a big proponent of monogamous relationships regardless of sexuality, and I'm proud of how the nation is steering toward that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-m-a-big-proponent-of-monogamous-relationships-regardless-of/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Every society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/every-society-in-the-history-of-man-has-upheld-the-institution-of/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [I'm in a relationship, and I've been in one in a while, but all the people I've been with at various points - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-m-in-a-relationship-and-i-ve-been-in-one-in-a-while-but-all-the/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [I believe in finding a soul mate. I've always been in monogamous relationships. I would never want to be in an open one. It'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/i-believe-in-finding-a-soul-mate-i-ve-always-been-in-monogamous/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) > [“I finally got up around noon, after having decided that, as far as monogamous relationships go, I could probably do worse than marrying my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-schneider/i-finally-got-up-around-noon-after-having-decided-that-as-far-as/) [Robyn Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-schneider/) > [No-strings relationships have helped cure me of love addiction. All my life I've been in long-term monogamous relationships. I had to break that pattern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/no-strings-relationships-have-helped-cure-me-of-love-addiction-all-my/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I believe that the vast majority of people that are unfaithful are monogamous in their beliefs. The ones who are not monogamous in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-believe-that-the-vast-majority-of-people-that-are-unfaithful-are/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“There was no gentle way around it - hearts would be broken, relationships would be crushed and I was the messenger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-holster/there-was-no-gentle-way-around-it-hearts-would-be-broken/) [S.G. Holster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-g-holster/) > [“I realized right then and there, in that hallway, that I wanted no other... I became the man she needed me to be because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/i-realized-right-then-and-there-in-that-hallway-that-i-wanted-no/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [I'd be staring at you and thinking, I should ask, I should ask, I should ask; do you want to be in a stable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-kundalkar/i-d-be-staring-at-you-and-thinking-i-should-ask-i-should-ask-i-should/) [Sachin Kundalkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-kundalkar/) > [I'm in a serious monogamous relationship, and I don't want to keep having different boyfriends, and I have this instead - with men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-m-in-a-serious-monogamous-relationship-and-i-don-t-want-to-keep/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [There are three basic prerequisites that almost guarantee... that a child won't have a day of poverty. If a person gets married and remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/there-are-three-basic-prerequisites-that-almost-guarantee-that-a/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [Both should share the same concept of what a relationship means and the same energy to believe in a monogamous relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/both-should-share-the-same-concept-of-what-a-relationship-means-and/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [The highest level of sexual excitement is in a monogamous relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/the-highest-level-of-sexual-excitement-is-in-a-monogamous-relationship/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [My mom is going to kill me for talking about sleeping with people. But I don't want to put myself in the position where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/my-mom-is-going-to-kill-me-for-talking-about-sleeping-with-people-but/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) ## More by Steve Almond > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [The single biggest reason I got my stories taken in various literary magazines - and I want to stress this - is because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/the-single-biggest-reason-i-got-my-stories-taken-in-various-literary/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [I do think, as crazy as it sounds, that sports is an addiction and that it should be accorded some of the same supports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/i-do-think-as-crazy-as-it-sounds-that-sports-is-an-addiction-and-that/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever. 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But that’s what makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/why-are-people-so-fascinated-by-how-to-eat-valomilks-she-said-well/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“The connection being that in my head all language began in song and that the best stories inevitably reutrn to song, to a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/the-connection-being-that-in-my-head-all-language-began-in-song-and/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“But I come to stories in the naked hope they will fuck me up .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/but-i-come-to-stories-in-the-naked-hope-they-will-fuck-me-up/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/nothing-on-earth-so-beautiful-as-the-final-haul-on-halloween-night/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“This was one of those mid-thirties moments when you take a look at the stale, half-chewed bagel your life has become and kiss jealousy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/this-was-one-of-those-mid-thirties-moments-when-you-take-a-look-at/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“My own kind. I'm not sure there's a name for us. I suspect we're born this way: our hearts screwed in tight, already a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/my-own-kind-i-m-not-sure-there-s-a-name-for-us-i-suspect-we-re-born/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [There's an invisible army of woman and men who really don't get why we give so much of ourselves to football. And they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/there-s-an-invisible-army-of-woman-and-men-who-really-don-t-get-why/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) [Explore all 71 Steve Almond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## More Crushed quotes > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [When we start helping the weak and the poor to rise everyone will begin to change. Those who have power and riches will start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/when-we-start-helping-the-weak-and-the-poor-to-rise-everyone-will/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I'm crushed by the responsibility of writing a satirical book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-crushed-by-the-responsibility-of-writing-a-satirical-book/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Human nature is full of riddles; . . . one of those riddles is: how is it that people who have been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/human-nature-is-full-of-riddles-one-of-those-riddles-is-how-is-it/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“As I enter the small intestine I get squeezed by muscles. Its dark and the walls look like slimey crushed velvet theres pancreas juice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/as-i-enter-the-small-intestine-i-get-squeezed-by-muscles-its-dark-and/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [I like you better this way." For some reason, admitting this made her face go hot right away; she was very glad that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-like-you-better-this-way-for-some-reason-admitting-this-made-her/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [My self-esteem had been crushed through years of childhood bullying and serious abuses, which would take me decades to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/my-self-esteem-had-been-crushed-through-years-of-childhood-bullying/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [It's sad that as crushed Millennials we live in the shadow of our parents, our fathers. We aren't willing to murder our government. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-wilson/it-s-sad-that-as-crushed-millennials-we-live-in-the-shadow-of-our/) [Cody Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-wilson/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. 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