by Luke Mcclure

Created on: August 02, 2009

In the course of time, how will history will record life in America at the beginning of the 21st century? Half of all marriages ending in divorce. Government struggling to define marriage, despite it being a religious practice originally. Pornography pipelined into nearly every home in the entire nation, with virtually no way of restricting the age of viewers unless parents are at least as computer savvy as their own children. Video games whose characters sleep with prostitutes to increase their health. Young men and old still conforming to the age old machismo attitude of the more women the better. Young women idolizing pop icons such as Brittney Spears, Christina Aguillara, and Jessica Simpson, mimicking them in dress, sexuality and independence with little thought to the consequences. Music that encourages boys to degrade women and objectify them for sex. Social networking sites and telecommunications that make it easy for young people to be bold and risque in sexual exploitations.

Yet, for all that is true of our society, it is certainly possible to be faithful and committed in a relationship, even facing such an uphill battle. The simple truth remains that one living in a society does not have to be a product of a society. It is ignorant for anyone to claim we are all products of our society, when exceptions exist. Are there people who are faithful today? Of course. Just as there are people who have been unfaithful and changed, vowing to never make such a mistake again. Therefore it is possible to remain faithful in today's society.

However, being faithful takes work, because of the social pressures coupled with the natural desires to do otherwise. Being in a committed relationship or marriage does not guarantee that you will never be attracted to another person again, it simply means you are making a choice to act on what you do with that attraction. One must realize that a committed relationship provides more long term gratification and satisfaction than any number of flings or encounters.

In this is the reason many people are unfaithful, they have not been taught nor have they discovered for themselves why a committed relationship is so much more valuable then many casual relationships. For people who know this value, being faithful is not merely an uphill battle against social pressure and natural desire, but an act of self interest. Self interest or a desire to have the most satisfaction in a relationship, teams up with the love that person has for his or her partner. The combination of love and respect for one's partner and one's own desire to be the most satisfied, makes faithfulness a realistic principle for many people, in any society.

People have discovered the value of faithfulness in all of history across the globe. The worlds major religions endorse the committed relationships, usually thru marriage. Even in the most morally corrupted of societies, there are people who have discovered the universal truth that being faithful is the best way to go, not only for one's partner, but for one's self.

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