“When left to our own measures, men the world over can find themselves in a world of debauchery. For those who are hitched, when it comes to infidelity, what actually constitutes going too far? Where do you draw the line in the sand?”
It’s a good question.
My answer to this would probably be different from yours, simply because we are all different individuals. We each have different expectations from our partners when in a relationship. But one thing remains constant … and that is the promise of being monogamous to each other.
Brad also mentions in his article that “it’s obvious that men are characterized as the sex that cheats the most,” and that “women set the guidelines for what cheating truly is”.
Women set rules, and men break them.
For the most part, I do agree. Women set most of the “rules” in a relationship. It’s because we are more vocal in our expectations from our partners when in a relationship and we just expect our men to “get in line”.
However, in all fairness, half of our so called “rules” are just an accident waiting to be broken. I have a girlfriend, who to this day still has not realized that “talking to another girl” and “not answering his phone, where must he be” does not constitute cheating. So, she gets the girls out to party, “meet men” and has totally convinced herself that he’s already out there breaking their bond of trust with another woman.
We all have to understand that basic rule of cause and effect. There has to be a cause in order to get the effect. Maybe, we try to concentrate too much on the result rather than what instigated the result. In my girlfriend’s case, she’s deemed her partner guilty before he’s even cheated on her.
Ladies, after a man’s been convicted and tried without any justified reason, where do you think the next step in your relationship will lead?
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In Georgia( country, not US state) lying and being disrespectful to your partner is considered to be cheating. Sexual treason is not usually considered to be cheating. Men are programmed by nature to spread their seed as much as possible, and women are programmed to be monogamous , because this increases the chances of their children for survival. Yes, we live in civilized society and we are not just stupid animals following their urge. Well, we do not consider eating something wrong, right…Why is a wish to change partner is wrong? What if you do not satisfy your partner sexually, is it better for you to feel good, because no one cheats on you and at the same time make your partner suffer. Yes, it may sound as heresy, well thousands of years ago a lot of human tribes would consider you a heretic when you would like to have one partner. Time changes everything…who knows maybe polygamy will be the next step…or maybe not…These thoughts are not all mine..This is something like a gathering image of what a lot of my friends think..
So in Georgia (Russia I take it?) being lying and disrespecful to your partner is considered cheating? We have such different morality here in the US & Canada. If I had a penny for everyone who lied and disrespected their partners, I definitely would be avery rich woman.
But for the part of wishing to change partners to feel good, I’m all for it. Just break up with your current woman first and let her go. It’s not fair to string her along while you are already eating the grass on the other side.
Good luck trying to find out which works better, being ‘faithful’ or being ‘free.’ There are marvelous arguments for both sides. And since no society has yet found an answer to this problem that the world imitates, there’s lots of room for disagreement. All I want to know is if the picture on the upper left is any of my former wives?
NewYorkDude, could be, you never know….. An ex-wife in every continent?
Anything, and we define this as obsession with porn, too – that takes emotional or sexual time away from the primary relationship – is cheating
Fighter, that’s so true. Sometimes it’s very hard when two different people form a relationship and each one has different set of *cheating* boundaries.
I consider emotional and sexual time away also as cheating.
It’s hard to say, also, it’s hard to agree with fighter… because what if someone fell in love with a celebrity and has strong feelings, would that be considered cheating? Like if you became a groupie and followed them on tour or something, technically that’s taking away from the primary relationship, so that’s cheating? I call that a ‘fan’ a.k.a. ‘fanatic.’ But I have a lot to say on the definition of cheating, but I’m at work and I can’t continue right now lol.
I would have to agree that people consider what consitutes cheating diferently in relationships. Personally I feel that emotional cheating can sometimes be worse the sexual cheating.
I have only one criteria, really it’s pretty simple. Anything that you wouldn’t want the other person to know about is cheating.
tater – yes, i agree but sexual or emotional is bad either way you look at it. but it’s hard to say cause there’s a grey area with the emotional aspect…
jewel – i guess you must live a life without grey areas then, huh? i know i feel differently, because just cause i don’t want someone to know something it doesn’t mean that i’m potentially cheating on them. it’s like if someone asked you a question and wanted a yes or no question, then there’s no maybes? thats a bad example on cheating but no grey areas?
Jay
DatCurious.com
DatMoney.com
That is a great way to look at it. I am not one for keeping secrets of any kind. I know I wouldn’t appreciate if the roles were reversed.
Tater, I don’t think there are enough people out there like us. I recently found out that my boyfriend cheated on me 6 months ago. It was cheating in my eyes at least, maybe not necessarily everyone else’s.
I am so sorry to hear that Jewel. I just don’t get why people feel the need to do stuff like this to others. Good luck to you. I hope it works out in the end the way you want it to.
Thanks tater. Everything seemed to be going so perfect. I know I shouldn’t have, but I did a little bit of snooping yesterday through our bedroom and found a card that an apparent ex-girlfriend sent him, with pictures of her. I think this was going on in the first three or four months we got back together. I have known him since 9th grade, so it’s really weird. I just don’t know how to feel sometimes. I don’t know if I should confront him about it and draw all the issues back up though, because everything has been perfect the last six months, and that might just cause more problems that I don’t want.
Jewel, wow, that’s pretty tough.
I do a lot of things I don’t want my significant other to know about – ahem, like the bucketful of new clothes I’ve stashed behind my closet…..
Okay, so maybe in a way that’s cheating.
Tater03, I still believe though that there are some things we need to keep for ourselves.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they are doing something bad…. of course there are some things that makes you sit up and notice. And if he’s not open in discussing it, then I would be just a little bit worried.
Haha, I think that maybe buying clothes is not cheating. If so, I suppose I am guilty of that as well.
Jewel, oh no, that’s horrible. Did you forgive him?
I have done that with clothes. But he pays attention to what I wear so half the time I get busted.
Jewel, I’d be super pissed also if I found my boyfriend with some *racy* photos of the ex! He should have just chucked them out because after all, he had you now.
Jewel, when I was working full time, I pretty much had the office closet stuffed with the new clothes I bought. Because the back space of my closet was getting too filled. I’m sure he noticed.
Tater03, LOL! I guess the excuse “I have no clean clothes that’s why I had to go out and get some” didn’t work?
Jay, I guess it all about who determines the grey areas….. In my relationship, I guess that would be me.
Sharon,
It’s hard to determine a “grey area” and agree upon it from two people. But luckily, you’re in the driver’s seat in your relationship, huh?
Jay
DatMoney.com
DatCurious.com
Well, I guess what makes it really good Jay is that he lets me think I am on the driver’s seat.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does
I guess he likes his women in charge, huh?
Jay
DatMoney.com
DatCurious.com
Course, don’t you?
Cheating, in my eyes at least, is doing something behind his/her back that you KNOW they’d be upset about. So depending upon the groundrules of your relationship that could range from sharing a coffee with a friend of the opposite sex through to getting emotionally attached in an extra-marital liaison and anything in between. I don’t think I’d go so far as to include stashing new clothes behind the closet though (unless your secret b/friend bought them for you??!!!)
Green-Moo
Green-Moo LOL! You think that will be an incentive for my husband to buy me more new clothes?
I hear competition can be very good for your soul.
I really don’t think “we” have a different morality in the US or Canada, but everything in society tries to prevent that illusion from being ripped away and replaced by something closer to ethics.
I would be more likely to approach cheating the way it is stated in the post about Georgia, the country not the state. Discretion, respect, and truthfulness go a lot further in my book than trying to deny what nature has intended from the start.
Setting my spouse up for failure by denying his nature isn’t showing him much love, in my book. I have high expectations in other areas that are attainable and maintainable.
My husband is a loving and lovable fella. Women hugging him, holding his hand or even bestowing a hearty kiss on the cheek doesn’t faze me. If he was more introverted, I’d have to reconsider. I am proud that my hubby is loved by many people, men and women.
I think what is ‘too far’ is a matter of negotionation and understanding between each couple. The sort of things that Molly mentions wouldn’t bother me at all. In our case we discussed boundaries and needs in detail and we understand what is OK for us. Actually it is different for both of us because there are things that my husband does that he wouldn’t be comfortable with me doing. He wouldn’t ask me not to do those things, but I choose not to because I don’t need to and I know he wouldn’t feel comfortable about it. For me the most important thing is honesty, as long as it is not hidden I am OK about most things.
I agree with Green-Moo definition of cheating, because ‘cheating’ has become so subjective, everyone has their own understanding.
SageMother, that’s some declaration.
I am not sure if I won’t be able to handle not setting expectations on monogamy.
mollyL, it’s great that you are in a fantastic relationship!
It really all comes down to two things – trust and objective.
You trust him, and his objective for being friendly… is well, being friendly. There is no hidden agenda and it’s transparent.
justontime, I think you have stumbled on the concept that is important to all couples – and that is trust.
If you have nothing to hide, then don’t. It’s only when you start to hide information becomes a sign that something is wrong and your partner will tune in to that.
Liza, you are right. Cheating is so subjective that we all have definitions of what is right or wrong.
That is true, everyone will have their own definition of cheating, but basically it is a breach of trust, and once lost it is very hard to rebuild trust.
Cheating is a breech of trust, if it is something tha is hidden from your other half and you wouldn’t be happy to be found out, then it is cheating.
Trust issues are the worst and the biggest downfall to a relationship. I would have to agree that what constitutes cheating in a relationship can be different to each person. If you feel the need to hide something because you know in your heart it is wrong than to me that is basically your answer.
riskey58, I think you expressed that very well. Couples will have differnt ideas about boundaries and cheating, but if something is hidden from the other partner it is likely to be cause problems.
I also agree with Green-Moo definition of cheating.
And cheating is so subjective that we all have definitions of what is right or wrong.