Adultery: What's the Big Deal?

     They’re calling it a P.R. disaster…A crisis…The Story of the Year. I’m referring to the ‘scandal’ involving Tiger Woods and his adulterous affair with a cocktail waitress. Watching the amount of news coverage and the rapid updates, I can’t help but wonder: What’s the big deal? He’s a professional athlete that cheated on his wife, that doesn’t surprise me in the least bit; even if it is squeaky clean, he’s young, handsome and a millionaire. Remember Kobe?
     Gatorade, Nike and Gillette have unanimously decided to keep their endorsement deals intact. He was fined a whopping $164 for running over the fire hydrant. Am I the only one that thinks this is blown way out of proportion? Don’t we have more important matters to care about? The real scandal in my book: what kind of wife would risk the fall of their empire over some side lovin’? She should’ve sucked it up and dealt with it in a more private way. Extra-marital affairs should be expected and facilitated properly. Now he’s giving public apologies and everyone is weighing in on CNN. And I still fail to see what this has to do with golf.
     In the December issue of Details Magazine, they’ve conducted a study providing some statistics about infidelity and marriage. According to their study, 44% of marriages have at least one spouse who has admitted to have had an affair; keep in mind, there’s still the third variable of the couples pleading the fifth. They have also found that 31% of these marriages have lasted after the infidelity has been discovered. I gather from this study: (1) Adultery happens; it’s occurs more often than not, (2) Adultery isn’t the end of the world. The relationships that I have seen last a lifetime, have all had rough patches where someone wasn’t playing fair. Those durable, old fashioned relationships where they truly believed in “until death do us part”; regardless of the bullshit, they stuck together. (They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.)
     My take: I think there is too much of an emphasis on sexual fidelity, which leaves other levels of loyalty underrated. What about emotional fidelity? What about professional and financial fidelity? In spite of sneaking around with another woman, I think it’s abundantly clear where his allegiance lie. They have a joint bank account, giving her access to millions. When he could’ve chosen anyone in the world, he selected her to be his bride and to share his dynasty. Whether their relationship succeeds or fails, he is still forever linked to her financially, emotionally and paternally. Remember Nas and Kelis? That’s a commitment!
     I think there is way too much of our self-worth wrapped up in relationships. Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe an individual’s value is completely independent of his spouse’s fidelity. I think that’s where the sting of betrayal kicks in; we feel that our partner’s satisfaction is a direct reflection of our contribution. From my perspective, we all need to lighten up and not take it so personally. Hopefully, one sweet day, we could finally be honest with one another about our appetites for…something else. A fact of life: sex and love are famous for parting ways; get over it.

On another note:

Why is it such an abomination for Chris Brown to do what he did, but it’s okay for Mrs. Woods to go upside Tiger’s head with a nine iron?