But you don't think that humans feel cheated because we are told to? I would feel cheated too, if I found out my husband was unfaithful but in more primative human cultures, before we had love stories and eventually Hollywood, did we pick a partner till death?
I get what you are saying about companionship, and it does turn into that for some. The lowering expectations to the last degree I wrote was meant to be comical but I think we have to lower them a bit to find that companionship. Of course, I am sure a lot of it is physical but we take the good with the bad. No one would describe my physical properties as their dream woman, nor would anyone say, "gee I hope I grow up and marry a woman who cries at Alpo commercials," either. I did not dream of growing up and marrying a man that could make the dogs go running when he takes his shoes off. He does have some of the features that I would use to describe my ideal man but not all of them, therefor, lowering expectations, as I am sure he has had to lower his.