Is Cheating Just a Part of Relationships?

I have been watching Teen Mom 2 and every couple has cheated or been cheated on. Part of that is their ages, and part of that is the fact that more and more people are cheating and staying together.

I have been reading the book "Cheaters Prosper". It has some very interesting and valid points. In fact, in many cases, an affair has helped many marriages, and brought the couples closer.

"And just as society has come to accept succes¬sive relationships, at some point, we will acknowledge and em¬brace polyamory (simultaneous love). It will be possible to have various partners who will themselves have various partners. We will begin to concede that it is not only possible, but quite hu¬man to love more than one person at a time. Of course, the demise of monogamy will not come easy. It will be vehemently opposed by the same forces that oppose gay relationships and abortion. And like many social taboos, women will be judged more harshly than men. This is even true of female indiscretions today. Fortunately, individual freedom will tri¬umph once again, but like all things worth having, not without a good fight."

The book goes on to say that change in the view of adultery and polyamory will take place over a long period of time, maybe even centuries. However, this change is already long underway. Anderson Cooper, a homosexual talkshow host, did a show on polyamory relationships, and how they are becoming more and more common. Another television show on TLC: "Sister Wives" takes a look at plural marriages and a man with his four wives and something like 14 children.

The Ashley Madison Agency caters to these types of non-mainstream relationships. Adultery has increases significantly especially with the technological developments with the Internet and believe it or not, divorces are declining despite cheating and adultery increasing! Why is that? One thought is financial reasons is that more families are forced to stick together in tougher economic times, and more relationships are able to survive affairs because they aren't quite as damaging as they used to be.

 

"Many people with power and persuasion have a privileged attitude. This personality trait can be seen in many top celebrities, who feel they have the right to whatever they desire. Singers, for example, comprise riders of outrageous demands for their appearances. Jennifer Lopez allegedly needs her walking path to be gardenia scented and Mariah Carey insists on an attendant in her dressing room just to hand her towels! Not only do stars feel they deserve this treatment, but they actually think their status requires them to act in this manner. Accordingly, many celebrities feel their high status allows them license to anything. Sex, regardless of marital standing, is no exception.

According to Pepper Schwartz, PhD, the risk of infidelity increases with professional and financial status1. John Gagnon, co-author of a study dealing with the prevalence of affairs, agrees, suggesting celebrities, sports icons, and politicians all share an increased potential of having affairs because they wield the at­tractive quality of power, a quality many pursue when looking to become involved. As a result, potential lovers are always waiting in the wings, reaffirming the powerful figures’ privileged stand­ing. It is the megalomaniac’s perceived superiority, primarily as a result of excess money and power, as well as his ability to per­suade others that leads him to believe he can have whatever he desires. Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kobe Bryant have all participated in extramarital sex ..."