Do you believe in cheating?

[bennyboy]

If it's clearly an open relationship that both parties agree on, why not? If the other person doesn't know, it's a betrayal and just really, really mean.

If it's an open relationship, I wouldn't consider that cheating.

I'm friends with a handful of polyamorous people. They're good fun (without being involved). They have really healthy mindsets.

I agree: with an agreement, it's not cheating at all. Cheating is another word for betrayal. It means you've either made a promise, or gone into a situation where a promise is implied, and then broken that promise. It means you are willing to sacrifice the goals of others for your own.

Is it wrong to break promises? Yes, and here's why: the thing that makes people special among animals is that we can define our own lives, and act on ideas rather than on pure instinct. Failing to keep your word means your words have no meaning-- you've lost that ability to separate yourself from the world of shit-throwing primates.

Maybe it's just pride. But when I see some monkey jerking off in the zoo, I like to think I'm a couple steps above that.