Is infidelity being glamorized?

[spidey07]

Maybe I'm a little bitter but I'm noticing a disturbing trend.

My girlfriend and I went to see a "Eternal Sunshine of a spotless mind" and were surprised by the previews.

Two movies coming up where an affair is shown in a "how romantic, look at love blossoming" kind of light. And further in the actual movie cheating was shown as "romantic"

So afterwards we were talking and both felt that infideltity is being portrayed as "romance" in movies today. We both weren't too happy about it.

Any thoughts?

 

[slackerinabox]

This is not a new trend.. Movies have, for the past 20 years at least,shown a person getting married to someone who's just so wrong for them and then getting swept up by someone who loves them for who they are. The common case in comedies is that someone's engaged to a lawyer or business person who's potrayed as selfish and domineering until a sensitive soul shows them the light. I think this appeals to women who are stuck in dead end relationships - i don't think it inspires them to cheat, but i think it allows them to dream a little..

 

[Orsorum]

There is one part of me that finds this appalling, but then I go and read some Roman literature from 100AD and I see that this is nothing new; humanity has always had a sick fascination with the taboo, that forbidden step that leaps from responsibility and obligation to fancy and adventure.

That being said, I find those movies revolting and without merit artistically or culturally. But that's just me.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
This is not a new trend.. Movies have, for the past 20 years at least,shown a person getting married to someone who's just so wrong for them and then getting swept up by someone who loves them for who they are. The common case in comedies is that someone's engaged to a lawyer or business person who's potrayed as selfish and domineering until a sensitive soul shows them the light. I think this appeals to women who are stuck in dead end relationships - i don't think it inspires them to cheat, but i think it allows them to dream a little..

I guess the overall frequency of it seems to be increasing.

 

[skace]

Well... the most common scenario is that the woman is ABOUT to get married to someone she doesn't love. And the wedding stops at the last second so that she can marry the person she really loves. I've seen that trend so. many. times.

I guess this doesn't help the original topic. Although, movies can glamorize anything, from infidelity to criminals. That is what is cool about movies.

 

[eigen]

Consider that perhpas an affair can be romantic..are you suggesting that these movies not be made because they do not reinforce the dominant socail paradigm.

 

[Kenazo]

Other movies that glamourize infidelity:

1. American Beauty
2. Lost in Translation

the list goes on.

 

[SagaLore]

I agree. It's been going on in movies for awhile though. It makes all you cheaters out there feel better about yourselves.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: eigen
Consider that perhpas an affair can be romantic..are you suggesting that these movies not be made because they do not reinforce the dominant socail paradigm.

Nah, I'm just saying I don't like the idea of an affair being "romantic"

But good points on taboo being something we're drawn to.

Maybe I'm just different. I cheated on a girlfriend way back in high school. The guilt ate me up and I couldn't live with myself.

 

[eigen]

But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

 

[GasX]

The Bridges of Madison County is a classic.

Women talk about what a wonderful romance it is...

Men just see Clint Eastwood bangind some other guy's wife on a road trip...

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
The Bridges of Madison County is a classic.

Women talk about what a wonderful romance it is...

Men just see Clint Eastwood bangind some other guy's wife on a road trip...

That's disgusting.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

x2

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

You mean you broke the oath you made to the person you claimed to love above all others. Basically, your word means sh!t.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

Very true. I think the movie Unfaithful does a good job of showing the two extremes. Especially the part when Diane Lane says something along the lines of, "God, I hope I do get tired of you" to the man she's cheating on her husband with.

Divorce has become a part of our culture; thus, its precursor--infidelity--is going to make its way into movies with more regularity, I'd think.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

You mean you broke the oath you made to the person you claimed to love above all others. Basically, your word means sh!t.

Never said he cheated on his wife. And I dunno what kind of weird ass relationships you have with girls, but I dont give them ANY oath while were dating!!

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

You mean you broke the oath you made to the person you claimed to love above all others. Basically, your word means sh!t.

Never said he cheated on his wife. And I dunno what kind of weird ass relationships you have with girls, but I dont give them ANY oath while were dating!!

The thread topic is marital infidelity and all of the movie examples involve marital infidelity.

 

[Jzero]

No word rooted to "marry" or any of its synonyms was used anywhere in the original post that I can see.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

You mean you broke the oath you made to the person you claimed to love above all others. Basically, your word means sh!t.

Never said he cheated on his wife. And I dunno what kind of weird ass relationships you have with girls, but I dont give them ANY oath while were dating!!

The thread topic is marital infidelity and all of the movie examples involve marital infidelity.

But the poster you qouted was talking from his experience. This doesnt necesarily imply marriage.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

If a guy in a movie cheats on his wife he's scum.
If a girl in a movie cheats on her husband it's romance.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If a guy in a movie cheats on his wife he's scum.
If a girl in a movie cheats on her husband it's romance.

ding!

Winnar!

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If a guy in a movie cheats on his wife he's scum.
If a girl in a movie cheats on her husband it's romance.

Addendum to above:

If a guy cheats on his wife in a movie, he gets Glenn Close coming after him with a knife.

 

[jjones]

I find it unlikely that I would ever cheat on my wife but I don't hold any animosity for those that do cheat on their spouses. Marriage is difficult at its best and the divorce rate tells you that many marriages won't work out. In cases of cheating, it's most likely just a symptom of other, more profound marital problems.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Whisper

Originally posted by: eigen
But affairs definitely are romantic..... I have cheated as well and felt the guilt but also the pleasure....Thats the way life is...Sigh I am getting old.

Very true. I think the movie Unfaithful does a good job of showing the two extremes. Especially the part when Diane Lane says something along the lines of, "God, I hope I do get tired of you" to the man she's cheating on her husband with.

Divorce has become a part of our culture; thus, its precursor--infidelity--is going to make its way into movies with more regularity, I'd think.

Divorce has been a part of culture since the concept of marriage was invented. News Flash: Human nature does not change.

It is your own perception of it which changes.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: jjones
I find it unlikely that I would ever cheat on my wife but I don't hold any animosity for those that do cheat on their spouses. Marriage is difficult at its best and the divorce rate tells you that many marriages won't work out. In cases of cheating, it's most likely just a symptom of other, more profound marital problems.

Yeah, but if they're are problems they should be addressed within the marriage.

NOT outside of it.