What's Cheating?

So, what is it?

Cheating is engaging in physical or emotional relations with someone other than the person you claim to have a monogamous relationship with.

Recently, I have met some guys who think that kissing someone, who you may or may not have feelings for, is not cheating. Or, at least, not enough to warrant the discussion with the significant other. This evening I was invited to a friends house for drinks and 'fun', this male friend told me three weeks ago that he has a girl friend. And yet he was perfectly ok with inviting me over with the casual phrase "want to go out for drinks?", and didn't understand my distaste for getting together. He said it would just be fun, no sex, as if that makes it all better. Do males not see that that is betrayal as well? Since when is kissing someone else not cheating?

I am reading the book "He's Just Not That Into You", and I have been watching "Lie to Me" and therefore am trying to see all the little things that people do that prove their real intentions. So, a drunk guy kissing a drunk girl, and a guy inviting a girl over for 'fun' both strike me as proving that they're not into their girl friends and have no problems cheating and lying, at least, in the female definition.

We are bombarded with what is 'right' and 'normal' day and night by TV, movies and advertising. These media outlets show teens and young adults engaging in behaviour that would get you ostracized 20 years ago; these actions are being promoted now. Being a teen mom and not knowing who the dad is, that's ok. Living at home being coddled by mom until you're 25, that's ok. Not knowing basic grammar and spelling going into High School, that's what spell check is for. Sleeping with anyone you fancy, perfectly acceptable. Giving up on your marriage because of a disagreement, expected. Taking responsibility for your actions, who does that anymore? No wonder we don't care about sleeping around, it's what is good, and expected, and rewarded.