Communication absolutely IS an antidote - and absolutely IS a way to dodge conflicts. What on earth are you even talking about? And it's something that doesn't take place nearly enough in most monogamous relationships because people tend to lean into the structure of what's expected rather than really talking. A good analogy is how much gay people communicate around sex and relationships compared to straight people - because when there are no set "rules" and expected dynamics, you have to hold discussions, negotiate, be more self-reflective, and not just operate out of unexpressed expectations.

Monogamous people can and should do that too - but from personal experience, even when you think you are doing it, it's so easy to be bought into unconscious messaging about being in a couple and how that is supposed to look and feel, that it can be a fraction of what is possible with actual transparent communication.

CNM isn't right for everyone, and nobody claims that it is, but pretending that the sort of communication that is typical and expected in CNM is no better or useful than any other is just kind of weird - particularly when studies from reputable journals find that overall, people in CNM relationships do communicate better than other people.