by Can Tran

Created on: January 24, 2009

Like it or not, a virtual fling bears the same effect as an actual physical fling. If you are in a virtual fling, do not even think of it as "cheating without actually cheating" and all that jazz. There are many instances in which virtual flings can do as much damage as real life affairs. Perhaps a virtual fling could actually cause much more damage than a real life affair could ever do. But, real life affairs can and will be damaging to the relationship. When you are having an affair, you are cheating on your spouse/significant other.

If you are married, do not even think that your instant messages and/or e-mails can be promptly erased or deleted. Information of a virtual affair can and will emerge. As a result, you are going to feel the searing sting of it all. Overall, a virtual affair can be just as damaging to a relationship as an actual real life physical affair.

When you think of it, a virtual fling will put a wedge in a relationship much earlier than an actual affair. A virtual fling is a precursor towards an actual physical affair or a series of physical affairs. Through a virtual fling, it could branch off into not one but two or three different affairs. Because of this, a virtual fling is by no means harmless at all. A virtual fling can evolve more than just a fantasy.
However, virtual flings are extremely harmful as a real life affair.

If you are the one having the virtual affair, your significant other will find out one way or another. Hypothetically if and when your significant other finds out, you are going to be in a lot of trouble. S/he will eventually find out about it. The surefire sign is if you are busy on the computer such as going on instant messengers and chat rooms. Your significant other is going to get very suspicious. S/he might even resort to installing a program that records all of your instant message and chat room conversations. Should that be the case, consider yourself in deep jeopardy.

A virtual fling immediately shows you in a whole different light. This is by no means a pleasant light at all. It also shows a bit of your true colors. The trust between you and your partner will diminish. It shows that you are capable of infidelity.
Showing that you are capable of infidelity is no different and no better than engaging in an act of infidelity.
It will cause your significant other to forever be suspicious of you. That will only further damage your relationship.

Your significant other will not be able to trust you let alone trust you completely. This is a surefire step that the relationship is virtually unsalvageable. It also gives your significant other the impression that you are very unsatisfied with the way the relationship/marriage is going. Overall, it shows that you have the capability of cheating on your significant other. It also creates further distrust and paranoia. Your significant other is going to assume that you already had an affair or possibly more than one. Your significant other will be very suspicious of you.

When you put all of that together, a virtual fling is far from harmless. Again, you could be tempted to actually meet those people and have an actual physical affair. That is something you must think about as well. News of the virtual fling will come out in more ways than one. If you think a virtual fling is harmless, you are sadly mistaken. There have been many relationships and marriages that ended due to virtual flings.

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