On the broadest level, the relationship is the defining context for interaction. Everyone is constantly in relationship. I have a relationship with myself. I have familial and friendship relationships. I have online relationships. I have allies and adversaries. A relationship can be created for any purpose(s). Any kind of identity creates a relationship with others who share identity. I am in relationship with every other human being for the simple reason that we are human beings living on this planet. I have relationships with every element of the non-human environment. Transcendental cosmology notwithstanding, it is relationships that shape my identity.

When we speak about relationships, as in "in my current relationship," we often mean our current romantic/sexual partner. This points to the the central position this kind of relationship holds in our societys understanding of relationships and the priority it is given. Having moved past tribe, extended family, and nuclear family, mainstream western society is geared towards couples, though just barely - singles are approaching the top position. This is no accident but a direct result of industrial capitalism. The smaller the unit of human habitation the larger the market.