by Melissa Harlow

Created on: October 24, 2009

In today's world, the amount of porngraphy and dating websites on the internet is beyond belief. Unfortunately, being tempted to stray from your partner can only be a few mouse clicks away. Sex is not kept in the bedroom anymore. It is everywhere you turn. On the web, in your favorite TV shows and the media. Trying to hide from what has become a social norm is next to impossible. There are people who would say that the younger generations have been morally damaged by the ease of getting such information. As a mother, I would be apt to agree. The question remains how you protect yourself and family from such influences. With the world so easily within reach via the internet, it is very possible that it may encourage infidelity. If it occurs or not is dependent on the moral compass of the person. It is their personal decision to cheat.

It is becoming the "in" thing to accept stepping out of your marriage. It is also becoming so that the spouse of the cheater is willing to degrade themselves in hopes of saving their marriage. They are forgiving their partner's mistakes too easily and accidentally encourage misbehavior. There is not a lack of temptation on the internet. People are more than willing to put out their entire lives online. Unfortunately, this also means their thoughts and feelings about intimacy and sex. We are not a society that keeps personal business private anymore. A lot of people are very comfortable airing their "dirty laundry" to anyone else that will listen. I think that is a huge mistake some couples make. They get into a fight about something one minute and are chatting with their best friend on Facebook the next. When did we stop trying to talk face-to-face to our partners? Instead, it is talk behind your partner's back and make them more angry.. They learn not to trust each other. Remember, once something has become e-mail or instant message (IM), it is public domain.

Electronically complaining about your spouse will get you into hot water, of course. However, I still get questionable e-mail and web-links and I have never searched the sites in question. Of course, the temptation is there. Someone is constantly throwing it at you, even if you are not looking for it. If or not someone cheats is determined by what they themselves consider cheating. There are people who if they look at the opposite sex, they feel guilty. Some can have several affairs and never see anything wrong with it. Cheating is what a couple wants it to be. It is a question of which lines that couple is comfortable crossing. The internet has not helped in the effort, however. It takes someone with a strong will not to be taken in by these influences,

The truth is people cheat. TV, internet and the media as a whole has not helped the cause. Once our society stops encouraging such ads, attitudes and actions, maybe cheating will decrease. You will not find me holding my breath, though. Sex sells. People need to say no to temptation, because it is not leaving any time soon.

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