The Issue of An Affair

Jump to Last Post 1-4 of 4 discussions (14 posts)
  1. Hui (蕙) profile image60
    Hui (蕙)posted 8 years ago

    With the progress of human civilization, the growth of humanisnic quality, people tend not to discuss others' privacy, tend not to give any opinions, bad or good, right or wrong to personal lives. However, how should and can we value the ethical bottom line in our daily lives? Whether or not, this kind of bottom line has been disappearing in human thinking? What do we think of an affair in marriage? What do we think of the other women and men? Whether or not, (in my dictionary) finally no room on this planet for them to settle down their souls! I am not a buddist, but believe in Buddha.

    1. Credence2 profile image78
      Credence2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It is difficult to answer, as you pose too many questions at once. I could answer with a book to address all the ethical questions that you pose. You might focus and break it down a bit,

      Thanks

    2. dashingscorpio profile image81
      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Hui (蕙),

      At the outset it must be stated anyone entering into a monogamous relationship or marriage is generally against the idea of having affairs.
      Most people on their wedding day have no plans to cheat.
      Most people would also say if they're cheated on they'd file for divorce!

      Oftentimes there is a difference between life and "the hypothetical".
      People say what they will or won't do but find themselves adapting.

      Life is a personal journey

      Generally speaking we assume all cheaters are low down no good selfish people who should end relationships or file for divorce if they're unhappy.
      In other instances they're viewed as "incessant cheaters" incapable of ever being faithful to anyone regardless of circumstances within a marriage.

      Why do people cheat???

      That is a question that is often asked but deep down most people really don't care about (why). It's usually a "rhetorical question" asked by someone who has {already made up their mind} there is no justification.
      In essence asking (why) isn't an attempt to gain any "understanding".

      I believe a large percentage of people who cheat do so in order to STAY in marriages or relationships they are unhappy or dissatisfied with on some level. However whatever their issue is they don't feel it is a "deal breaker" or worth throwing away the marriage/relationship over.

      Awhile back there was a question posted on HP.
      Would you end your marriage if you were sexually incompatible?
      Over 90% of the answers were "no". That's exactly how cheaters feel!
      They don't see this issue as being a reason to file for a divorce.

      However I suspect if you asked the following question:
      Would you rather your spouse cheat on you or leave you?
      My guess is most people would say they'd rather him/her leave them!
      Essentially it's the same question from a different point of view!


      Most cheaters seek to hold onto all that is "good" in their primary relationship while addressing their other "needs" on the side.
      These "needs" vary from individual to individual: (attention, feeling special, romance, affection/sex, deep empathetic conversations, emotional support, a sense of adventure)

      Why do they risk losing a relationship/marriage that they've chosen to stay in? Cheaters don't expect to be caught! (They don't dwell on it.)

      Not along ago there was a major breech on the Ashley Maddison Adultery website. One of the women exposed on the site is married to a man who became a quadriplegic after an accident. She didn't want to divorce him nor put him in a nursing home. She made arrangements to care for him in their home. However she still had a desire for physical affection, romance, and the ability to go out to dinner or take a stroll along the beach...etc
      She joined the website and began a "discreet affair".
      Some people may call her "evil" but I wouldn't.

      Imagine a married man with three children. His wife has gone through menopause and has no desire to have sex. They've had discussions about it, tried a couple of things but ultimately they became a "sexless marriage". From his point of view he has three options.

      1. Accept the fact that his sex life is officially over.

      2. Run down to the courthouse and file for divorce, moving out of his home into an apartment, paying child support and possibly alimony, becoming a weekend dad, lowering his living standards while dividing up assets including family and friends who choose sides within their circle.

      3. Find a woman who is physically attracted to him and will have sex within the confines of a discreet affair or pay for sex through an escort service. If prostitution were legal many married men cheaters would take this route. Pay to play without risking making an emotional connection.

      It's no surprise many men in that situation go with option #3.
      Very few husbands are going to file for divorce because their wife stopped having sex with them! I believe most women know this to be true!
      In fact mistresses are warned by their girlfriends:
      "The husband never leaves the wife."

      In fact in the U.S. (women) initiate 66% or 2/3rds of all divorce filings.

      Lastly we have those people who gradually found themselves falling in love with another person while being married. This type of affair is often romanticized in old English novels and movies.

      Unlike the thrill seeking casual cheater or the ones who are seeking to fulfill needs not being addressed in their marriage the "romance cheaters" act on impulse or feel a magnetic pull towards one another. They may initially fight it but keep ending up in circumstances where they are in the same room. Secret infatuations and sexual fantasies remain in their individual minds until one day someone works up the nerve to speak out loud about inner feelings or simply plants a kiss on the other one.

      These are often the cheaters who "fall in love" and make plans to leave their marriages behind. They honestly believe their union was preordained. They fought it for as long as they could.

      "I met (the right woman/man) at the wrong time."
      "Life has been so cruel to us."
      "We never meant for this to happen."

      http://usercontent2.hubimg.com/12809687_f248.jpg

  2. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
    Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years ago

    Hui, what do you think about the matter on a gut level.
    Why do you wonder about society?
    What would Buddha say?

    My opinion:
    Most relationships are mistakes from the get-go.
    Ordinarily most relationships are based on illogical, romantic, idealistic notions: "He gave me butterflies in my stomach." "She was pretty and fun."

    Some are based on practical reasons such as, "All my friends were getting married."
    "I didn't want to be an old maid." "It seemed like a good Idea at the time, since we had combined our bank accounts already." "She helped me through school, it was only fair."  I actually heard this one,
    "We decided it was better to get married than deal with roommates."

    Some people literally can't say no and end up getting married through pressure of some type.
    How long do you think anyone under this type of pressure can endure marriage?
    Anyone in this position might become desperate for a sense of freedom, which they unwisely and unwillingly gave up.

    Take young innocent Princess Diana. Many foresaw she would be miserable in her marriage to older, stiff Charles. Afterwards, she pacified her misery by following her heart, rather than her sense of duty and responsibility to not only her children but to the world. And consider her fate: A miserable, tragic end.

    An Affair is nothing but a tragedy; an unfortunate choice which can never correct the original mistake but, instead, ends up making it a hundred times worse.

    The tempting thing about affairs is this:
    One thinks … one really truly thinks:

                                  No One Will Find Out.

    SO Ridiculous!

    If you fall in love with someone outside your marriage, just get divorced before you act on your impulses.

    If it ends up not being love, get divorced anyway. Be fair to yourself and your partner and the many people who are in your lives. They will be able to accept the fact of the matter: Its over.


    If its not financially conducive, or one of them still loves the other and refuses to let go without going nuts, the other is stuck and has to make it work.
    Surely, in the end, love will be acknowledged or develop on some level.

    Heaven help them if it doesn't. sad 
       

    TWISI

    1. Hui (蕙) profile image60
      Hui (蕙)posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Totally agree on these profound views. An affair is a tragedy, and I don't think many affairs are based on true love, but my point is the "ethical bottom line", i.e. how our modern people value "the line"? People are becoming more and more ethical, then more and more careful to judge based on even most fundamental standards, then everything is left alone.

    2. dashingscorpio profile image81
      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Actually it was not having an affair that killed Princess Diana.
      She had already divorced Prince Charles who by the way was having an affair of his own with Camilla who was married as well.

      The death  of the princess is the result of her drunk driver speeding through a tunnel to avoid having photos taken by the paparazzi.
      This made no sense. Everyone already knew she was dating Dodi Fayed.

      Having photos taken constantly comes with being famous.
      No one should risk their life in order to avoid having a picture taken.
      That's the real tragedy.





      http://usercontent2.hubimg.com/12809851.jpg

      1. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
        Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years agoin reply to this

        She had numerous romantic liaisons during her marriage.
        The queen could hot have her marrying again, She just couldn't have it.
        Her death could have been the result of a conspiracy. Was she pregnant?
        We'll never know for sure.
        TWISI

  3. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
    Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years ago

    <"Lastly we have those people who gradually found themselves falling in love with another person while being married. This type of affair is often romanticized in old English novels and movies.">DS

    Yes, usually out of the madness of boredom.
    Boredom is a human dilemma.
    All Diana had to do was enjoy herself.
    Did she really have to flirt around with her bodyguards and such?
    Couldn't she have just enjoyed being mother of her two sons and the princess of England and everything that entailed?????

    Guess not.
    http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest- … her-lovers
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article … ather.html

    1. dashingscorpio profile image81
      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Kathryn,

      I believe you’re being too hard on Princess Diana.
      You may or may not recall she was only (20) years old when she married Prince Charles. The prince only married her out of duty to bring heirs into the royal family. His heart was always with Camilla Parker Bowles!

      Although she herself was married at the time the prince continued to see her while being married to Diana and fathering her two children.

      I suspect when the doe eyed 20 year old girl got married she had no idea her husband didn’t love her and would neglect her emotionally & physically!

      Essentially the marriage was a sham in her eyes. She had various royal duties as a princess but for her it felt like she was in a prison.
      This was far from the "fairytale" she imagined her life would be like.

      At one point she considered suicide.

      I don’t know of any young 20 something year old person who could be content in a loveless marriage!

      My guess is it wasn’t hard to be flattered by men who gave her attention her husband didn’t. For Charles Princess Diana was a trophy wife who enhanced the royal family’s image. She was a pawn.

      I think it is unrealistic to expect (a youth in the prime of her life) to simply be a content mother of her two sons and the princess of England and everything that entailed. She wanted the fairytale!!!

      In those books she read (the prince loved the princess) and treated her special. He wasn’t neglectful of his princess or having an affair with a married woman.

      Let’s not give the older Prince Charles a free pass!!! (He was almost 30 when he married her). Had he been a loving loyal affectionate husband who is to say if Diana may not have sought attention elsewhere.

      The royal family resented the fact that the world loved Diana so much.
      There were even rumors at the time of her death that the family may have had her killed. Just goes to show you how many folks sensed the lack of love she got from the royal family!

      Charles finally married the only woman he ever really loved.



      http://usercontent1.hubimg.com/12811320_f248.jpg

  4. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
    Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years ago

    ~ look at the gold around them.
    but they are just people, aren't they?




    We humans are absolutely hooked on romantic love for some reason.
    Queen Elizabeth, in history, wisely refrained.
    If she had affairs she was exceedingly discreet.

    But she was QUEEN!  So it all depends on one's motivation.
    I still believe Princess Diana could have found ways to make her life happy within the situation.
    (and be alive today.)
    Or she shouldn't have taken the position.
    I guess she didn't see it as much.
    Maybe we shouldn't either.
    (Maybe we don't.)

    1. dashingscorpio profile image81
      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's doubtful any (20 year old kid) would know what they signed up for.
      Even in the U.S. I would not recommend someone get married at age 20. Princess Diana was without a doubt immature and naïve.

      Having said that not many girls especially her age would have turned down a marriage proposal from an actual prince! It's the stuff of dreams!

      She learned the hard way: Marriage is not a fairytale!
      (Even if he's a real prince!)

      "My husband made me feel so inadequate in every possible way," she told her biographer Andrew Morton.

      Having gone through a divorce before I don't know how anyone could be happy with a cheating spouse who was cold and detached.
      I imagine there was added pressure with the belief that she couldn't just file for divorce without it being a major news story. Her battle with bulimia, and several suicide attempts illustrates how unhappy she was.

      Cheating on a husband who was cheating on her as well as mistreating her is not shocking at all. There shouldn't be a "double standard" regarding Charles and his betrayal. Had she been an American woman married to guy who was cheating on her since day one very few people would give the husband a free pass. His actions led to her actions.

      Even with that as Princess of Wales, Diana undertook a variety of public engagements and royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions overseas. She was celebrated for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. She was involved with dozens of charities including London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, of which she was president from 1989.

      I believe more people empathized with her than disliked her.

      Prince Diana just got into a royal marriage that was way over her head.
      She had her flaws but was not nearly as wild as Dutchess Fergie!

      http://usercontent2.hubimg.com/12811777_f248.jpg

      1. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
        Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years agoin reply to this

        Ideally, she would be alive today if she had respected her position to even the smallest extent.
        She is in heaven looking on, at this point. (Just like in the photo. smile)
        I wonder if she will take her LIFE more seriously next time around.
        As I remember, Queen Victoria had a devoted right arm, but they never acted upon their desires for the sake of the kingdom.

        1. dashingscorpio profile image81
          dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

          She'd be alive if the car she was in wasn't driven by a drunk driver.

          Her divorce had nothing to do with her death. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce and not many people die because of it.

          For some reason it almost sounds as if you have a "double standard" when it comes to husbands who cheat versus wives who cheat.

          Charles cheated and he's still alive! He didn't respect his position or his vows nor did he respect Camilla's husband either.

          1. Kathryn L Hill profile image78
            Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            True. All the expectations and requirements of royal tradition created what had to be acted out for the sake of archaic baloney and was a mistake in the very first place.
            Poor Diana. I felt sorry for her the day of her lavish wedding in her ridiculous wedding dress in her stupid carriage etc.
            and still do,
            Thanks, you are right in your assessments.

 
working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)