Straying power
May 24th 2007
From Economist.com
GATHERING reliable data on sex is notoriously tricky. Two years ago Durex, a company that makes contraceptives, surveyed more than 300,000 people in 41 countries, asking them about their sexual habits. The intriguing results suggest that Turks are the least faithful to their partners while Israelis are the least likely to stray. On average, around the world, one-in-five people has affairs, with Americans (deterred by the film Fatal Attraction?) and Britons slightly less likely to cheat and the French and the Nordics more likely to do so. Of course, the survey may just as well be a measure of varying levels of honesty in the different countries.
What an honor?? I really thought that the French had this one in the bag. Here's another reason for them to hate us.
Now does this mean I should start dating Israelis?
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5 comments:
I think that I read a simular article a long time ago.
And its not only the man who are unfaithfull, women displayed the same behavior...
Yes, get an Israeli...))
Hi Hans, no doubt about it - women are just as guilty as the men. I have to wonder, however, how honestly people answered the questions in this survey. Turkish men can talk a lot bullshit. (now I'm going to be attacked by Turkish men for that statement!!)
Anyway, I hope you are feeling better.
p.s. I'm in Ft. Lauderdale and won't be able to go to South Beach, as planned. I got in yesterday and I am flying back tomorrow. Such a short weekend!
I took notice of that too! Maybe I was right.
All right allow me to elaborate on the stats a bit. There is actually not much that seems out of place with their study, except the following few bits.
First off, I really think that they should have made a difference between having an affair and being unfaithful. To me, having an affair involves being in an extra-marital ongoing RELATIONSHIP with another special person whereas being unfaithful also includes paying a prostitute for sex. I’ve known many a female friend in Germany and Italy who does not care much if their man paid for sex, and in fact, prefer that, firstly, any day of the week over him having an affair, and secondly that they rather not find out. Frankly, I agree to the first part. It is less damaging to a relationship if sex is paid for than otherwise. In fact, wouldn't you rather find out that your man saw a prostitute rather than had an affair if those were your only options? Turks and men from all over the world have done exactly that for many many years and will continue to do so until the end of time.
I think, a fair part of this claim can be seen in the much lower divorce rates in Turkey (around 10%) than in most other countries, including Israel (less than 30%) [Ref. 1]. Prostitution in Europe is an everyday business, from the street corners where shady cars with red lights await the clientèle to the full blown districts in Amsterdam and every other city across the globe. Now, of course, I don’t deny that Turkey’s lower rate of divorce also has stronger cultural reasons like neglected women’s rights or traditional pressure, but I can also not deny the Turkish understanding of having an affair. In Turkish that word would be ‘aldatmak’, which is more of being unfaithful than having an affair while in European languages, like German, having an affair means exactly the same thing; to be in an ongoing extra-marital relationship and not so much being unfaithful.
So, in essence, I agree with the last sentence that Turks probably answered those surveys more honestly, which in the interest of Durex is that the question should have read ‘unfaithful’ to begin with. I think the European numbers would have been higher…
Bottom line though, nothing would change. Turks would still be on top that list. Unfaithfulness comes with having choices and being free to exercise them, and in a patriarchal society this is truer than anywhere else.
This is a great post, Anonymously Ours. You gave me some serious food for thought.
[Ref. 1: ]
from 1996
from 2002
Here is the article again
Infidel, your comment came a surprise for 2 reason: 1) I thought were going to argue that Turks don't belong at the top of that list and 2) I don't see the difference between having an affair vs. paying for the sexual escapade. Cheating is cheating - in America.
I once met 2 German girls vacationg in Marmaris who had boyfriends back in Germany. Neither felt that their man was cheating on them by having a casual one night stand. They seemed very comfotable eith and one of them said, "but I know his heart is mine" By the way, they both hooked up with men they met on their vacation. So perhaps it does come down to being a cultural thing. But here in America, the thinking is much different.
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