You might also check out the book “More Than One”. Polyamory is a beautiful relationship style that I have seen done very well and very poorly, just like traditional relationships. Triads can sometimes be problematic when one part of the relationship is preestablished. Balancing everyone’s needs is difficult and people screw up all the time. If this guy is able to date outside the relationship, is she also able to enjoy that same priviledge? How about the other girl? Who sets the rules in the relationship and how is it handled when one person disagrees with the others on something? How do you respond to " you always side with (other partner)". Polyamory is hard work. Not sure what country/state you are in, but birth control could become an issue for her. As with any relationship subculture/orientation/style I am concerned for my poly friends and what the future holds for them and doubly concerned for the women.
Similar boat. I’m climbing out of a pit of 10 year of shit luck and painful life events. I’ve been getting glimpses of the good life and was starting to accept my progress and recognize how far things had come. My trajectory was success. Now I have 4+ years of bullshit to look forward to and even if the dems win the next time, they’ve shown they won’t, can’t, don’t know how to wield that power effectively.
My partner has an adult dependent who now lives with us and it is going to put a wrench into the wheels of our own plan to leave for overseas where we want to start a family somewhere where it is affordable and they are less likely to be victimized or murdered at school and will actually learn something. This would not be such a big deal as we make a good family, but staring down the barrel of this red white and blue idiocracy, the barriers to leaving feel like a sledgehammer to the face.
To your last point, I’m moderately happy with my state government though my municipality is Religious, MAGA, Jesusland, hell. I used to wish for revolution or huge social change as a kid, but as an adult I realize that we all need to change our own hearts and start treating each other with respect. Institutions can be changed, but it has to happen from the bottom up through individual actions (or intentional lack of action). Top down always results in tyranny. That’s why this education domino is going to hurt so bad. People won’t learn how to think anymore, just what to think, and they’ll be monitored closely from the day they are born to the day they die. Still holding out hope though.