Because being adult in age isn’t at all the same thing as being adult in maturity plus often people derive different benefits in different kinds of relationships so they want to keep both going (for example, somebody in his or her 40s happilly married with kids and yet getting excitement and sexual pleasure with a younger lover).
Also there are often huge social and financial implications to breaking up certain types of relationships or under certain conditions, but people might still be unresistibly drawn to something else, so they play a game to both sides.
It’s a mix of selfishness, immaturity, cowardice and people changing over time and discovering that the stable relationship they’re in doesn’t fit them (either anymore or they get to a point were they figure out it never trully did)
CMV: Cheating always happen in some point when changing relationships. It sucks, but it I’d the way it is.
But what do I know, I have been single for the last 9 years, and only had a gf for few months. ☹️
That view and you only having a girlfriend for a few months miiiiight be linked
Nah, you want to sleep with someone else, you end your current relationship.
You might meet someone you like while you’re with someone else, but really if you’re window shopping, you should end the relationship anyway.
It goes by different names, but some people treat relationships like monkey bars, making sure they grab the next one before letting go of the last one.
That’s also just like how soft-handoff works when changing cellular antennas while on the move.
That’s what rebounds are for, and if you aren’t up front about them being a rebound, you’re an asshole.
But the healthiest thing to do is to be single between relationships. For a good long while. Until you’re actually happy being single. That’s the only headspace you can be in to find a partner who will be good for you.
While I agree wholeheartedly, there are plenty of unhealthy assholes in life.
Yeah, I never understood it either. Either have an open relationship with consent, or communicate whatever needs you have that you want to fulfill by cheating properly, and accept that it may not work out if there is truly no way to meet them. I guess I can at least abstractly understand when it happens spur-of-the moment and under the influence of drugs/alcohol, but I still can’t properly put myself in those shoes.
Because the government pays you to be married
Tax breaks like dependency deductions.
If you didn’t receive a healthy signing bonus for taking on your spouse, you got played for a fool. My bonus wasn’t crazy, but it bought us a modest house and meeting my 5-year performance goals covered our modest yacht.
People aren’t honest enough with each other and their own needs. Meanwhile we build other dependencies in long term relationships that have nothing to do with physical attraction, but are in most cases more important for all kinds of reasons.
Monogamy is the basis of a lot of unnecessary suffering because it’s resisting a very real need we continue to have even when our relationships become romantically stagnant. If we could all just be honest about it with our SOs without fear, and work together as we do anyway to maintain other commitments to each other, we could have a culture where there’s a lot more freedom to seek more intimacy and love in a way that isn’t dishonest, that isn’t “cheating”.
This is a very thoughtful and adult take.
I’ve never understood the concept of cheating in general. Basically what a person says is that they don’t want their significant other to experience any kind of intimacy or sexual relationships with any other person except for them for the rest of their lives.
I’ve always seen that as kinda unfair.
On the other hand if I’m in a relationship I typically don’t feel the need or desire to have relations with any other person even when the opportunity presents itself.
I have a friend though that is hopelessly in love with his girlfriend but regularly engages in sexual relations with other women. For him, it’s not an emotional activity, it’s just a physical one.
But you’re absolutely right open honest communication is absolutely key.
What makes cheating, cheating, is the betrayal of trust involved more than any specific acts of intimacy. The reality is in monogamous relationships merely falling for someone else, even without then knowing how you feel, already feels like a betrayal in your heart as a loyal partner who wishes you only had eyes for your SO and nobody else. Even porn in some cases is a betrayal. It’s a whole lot of unnecessary suffering not to acknowledge how the overwhelming majority of us won’t mentally thrive under these conditions. Therefore, setting expectations appropriate for your situation is key.
For my part, my SO understands that due in part to her relatively low sex drive and complete lack of initiative, certain needs of mine aren’t being met, and we’ve talked about it. I still love her deeply, and we have recently had a child, and I have every intention of meeting my obligations as a father and partner for the rest of my life. But, there’s a real possibility I could fall for someone else one day. I already have friends who I can say I love and would jump at the opportunity to be intimidate with should they show that kid of interest. What interests me though, are loving bonds, not hookups (I mean STD risks and all sorts. Ew). I want to be close with those who I sleep with, and i want them to know I love my partner and will always be there for her and our child. But, there’s space for them too, if they want in. Ideally, my partner likes and accepts them too - and the more close they are as friends (or even lovers too) the better.
In any case, that’s the dream I guess. Nothing has happened yet, and I find with a baby to look after, I’m in no rush, and certainly even with everything out in the open, it’s still too much drama to navigate at the moment. But if it does happen one day, at least it won’t result in a litany of lies that lead to guilt and suffering all around. At least, that’s the idea. I know it will never be quite that easy in reality, but it wouldn’t be life otherwise!
I feel kinda the same way… I don’t really like the whole “spontaneous sex” “one night stand” thing. I would prefer to get to know the person I’m going to be intimate with…
But again I have friends that would easily rail a woman in the bathroom of a bar and forget that even happened in a week.
I dunno…
Wonder how it would work out if his gf reularly engaged in sex with anyone she wanted for a physical activity.
I don’t think the relationship would continue “working”.
I would be uncomfortable with my partner hooking up with a stranger. That’s a betrayal of our shared values, and creates risks for both of us (e.g. unwanted pregnancy, STDs, and general drama that could create a lot of unnecessary stress). I would rather know that she has fallen for someone we’re both know preferably, and who she loves and believes she can trust implicitly. I would still feel a healthy amount of jealousy, and be worried about thing going wrong, and her being hurt. But I would trust her judgment, and trust she won’t run away and leave me to raise our kid on my own. But yeah, the sex, and intimacy in this case, wouldn’t bother me too much.
I think that’s an unfair assessment based on negative stereotypes and only really serves to legitimatize the behavior you’re referring to.
You’re absolutely right. He would be devastated and react very negatively to his girlfriend “cheating” on him.
The double standard is the size of Texas.
Why not just have two relationships?
Because that might require huge, boatloads of cash. And result in more satisfying prostitutes, wherein the parties to the relationships can actually get paid.
Because that might require honest, open communication. And result in more satisfying relationships, wherein the parties to the relationships can actually get what they desire. Who wants that? /s. Hmm, is there a polyamory magazine on the Fediverse? I hadn’t looked… dang, I searched, yielded nada. Am I obligated to make one, now? We’re building a whole new social media. Each contributing as they will.
While it’s not my bag I very much believe people should love the way that makes them and all fully consenting members happy, but there’s not a lot of people that want to be part of something like that tbh. The polyamory itself I mean, not the sub. You should totally make a sub if there isn’t one
Gotcha covered, it’s a thing, now let’s see where we want to take it. https://kbin.run/m/Polyamory
Because that might require honest, open communication. And result in more satisfying relationships, wherein the parties to the relationships can actually get what they desire. Who wants that? /s. Hmm, is there a polyamory magazine on the Fediverse? I hadn’t looked…
Some people are monogamous and they are allowed to be in relationships that are satisfying and make them happy.
Then why cheat?
Because they’re too selfish and gutless to end the relationship. Slme people need monogamy and some need multiple partners, they should be honest aboit that and avoid having relationships with those who aren’t compatible.
Because sometimes people would rather lie and sneak around than have an adult conversation about relationship expectations.
people would rather lie and sneak around
Well yeah. That’s a lot more fun then a conversation. And if you don’t care about your relationship anyways, why does it matter how you end it really? Might as well cheat
That’s rather selfish. There is harm, but not to you. You’re okay with hurting other people for your own gain to avoid having one difficult conversation. I can only assume that you wouldn’t feel good if a partner treated you like that, so why do so to them? Either you have a general lack of empathy, lack introspective ability, or are just perfectly okay with the idea of being cheated on, and also the idea of someone else hurting because of your own actions. I’m fascinated, and also recommend you try consensual polyamory next time instead.
If you don’t care about a relationship, the other person still might, and them being hurt should matter to you.
End the relationship since you don’t care about it anyways, to let the other person move on with the least lies and sense of betrayal, and then fuck everyone you wish.
Cheating isn’t a way to end a relationship, cheating is lying in order to keep it longer.
Cheating isn’t a way to end a relationship, cheating is lying in order to keep it longer.
Maybe that’s what it is for you
Maybe that’s what it is for you
This seems like the same logic those people who keep a relative’s corpse around for years to keep collecting their social security checks use…
to me there is no harm in it.
Well yeah, but you could say the same about hitting a pedestrian with your car. To you, there’s no harm. But the person you’re cheating on, the person who’s trust you’ve violated, who’s time you’ve wasted, who feels stupid and used and humiliated after the relationship is over, there’s a lot of harm for them.
you could say the same about hitting a pedestrian with your car
Yeah, and I hit pedestrians with my car all the time!
If you’re being sarcastic, neither do I. But I also cheat on my spouse as often as I hit pedestrians with my car.
Cheating is more fun tho
Fuck all the way off
Nah
I’m a bad they them who needs a spanking
wat
Ifykyk biotch
Its not the most sensitive info here, but you shouldn’t censor things using non-opaque markings. It’s pretty trivial to throw the image in an editor, crank up the brightness, and see what’s behind the censor in this case. Just wanna let you know in case you happen to do this to some sensitive info
Cheating is for young people and mentally ill adults who haven’t fixed their impulse control
Adulting requires making partner and family the priority if you signed for it.
I think i disagree on being cheating is for young people. I know plenty of teenagers and young adults that are loyal to a fault.
There is a lot of stastics and info on this topic that might surprise you. I would encourage you to look into cheating rates by demographics. After that if you want any recommendations for books on subject, let me know.
Cheating is for those that aren’t being honest with themselves. Open relationships are fine for those whom understand and consent, but many people don’t do well in them. I don’t think I could ever do it but it is do to my own faults, not the practice.
Most cheating I think happens because someone hasn’t admitted to themselves that they aren’t happy enough in their relationship, or to cowardly to leave it for many a reason. Stability, whether financial or otherwise make staying in a relationship the “easy” option to many people.
Starting a new chapter of life is often hard. Social circles, work, living situations, vehicles, pets, and every other thing we forget about that has been a staple to us is often intertwined. Families as well. A lot of people stay together out of feeling it is better off than rocking the boat, many feeling like it would be devastating for their partner and like to think it is better for them long term as well. It doesn’t mean it is, or would be.
Relationships are just hard all around, but at some point we have to choose happiness over forcing shit to work.
Being afraid of failure has always been one of my flaws. Relationships are mostly all failures, even many that last till death.
~end random rant, it want disagreeing with your comment by the way, apparently I just started typing
all fair points. there is deff a story behind every thing. i was going more for people need own their behavior. classic story is parents staying together when it was bad for kids.
i guess it could work somehow… but we all heard the stories where it was dragged out too long and hurt more.
Sometimes relationships aren’t over.
Are the monos okay
Cheating isn’t poly. It’s just being an ass.
I’m responding to the person above me, not the original post. Fuck cheating.
I have an baseless theory that people that first has sexual experience when they were young or in strict households and had to sneak around and hide their relationships are more likely to want to chest because the “thrill” of hiding the relationship and tabbooness of it reminds them of their formative sexaul experiences.
Aye, I think that’s why there’s so much step sister step brother porn as well
Yeah that’s because many Gen-Zers and late millennials have grown up in blended families. I bet many of them have fantasized about bangin an older step sister or step mom and even stepdads fantasize about banging an adult step daughter. Then they look up that kind of porn on the web. The algorithms will push that genre up in the rankings and then producer will follow the trend to appear at the top of those rankings.
Yeah that should be step one not step two
Because people desire both romantic companionship and sexual exploration, but society pressures us to choose one or the other, and shames us for even trying to communicate our needs and wants to our partners as a form of selfishness, so we end up doing whatever makes us happy, at the detriment of others’ happiness, when it never had to be that way.
Found the cheater
There they go blaming society for being too afraid to have a conversation with their partner again…
because someone can get stuck in a toxic relationship, not because the person was bad, but was suicidal and had so much issues that you’re afraid that ending it could make them kill themselfs, and you don’t want to hurt them because isn’t their fault, but you don’t want a relatioship anymore
Being cheated on won’t improve their mental health. Surely you realize there must be some other way of handling that situation? You’re never responsible for what someone does to themselves btw.
of course, i totally agree with you, but only after the end and a lot of therapy, i came to the conclusion that my mental health were already bad before everything, and continuing it fucked in a level that i needed antidepressants and anti-anxiety to get out of bed
You’re never responsible for what someone does to themselves btw.
i totally agree too, but as i said, i didn’t want that to happen, i liked them, maybe not as a partner but as a friend, and I didn’t think that were fair to them, “it was because of their toxic parents not their fault”, the classic “I can fix them” in the end I couldn’t, they were using me as a step ladder, and in the end I was worse mentally than them and they were the one to end the relationship to date others and let me alone
Surely you realize there must be some other way of handling that situation
Yes, lesson learned, don’t let yourself go that low, you’re going to get depressed and anxious, and do things that is going to make yourself even more depressed and anxious and you can only go one day per week to a psychologist for a reason, when you need tobe someone psychologist 24/7 something isn’t right
I’m so genuinely happy to hear you’re doing better now.
