Character and Opportunity

Opportunity is said to be the mother of temptation. Where no opportunity exists, no temptation threatens to attack. It is difficult to be quite definitive on this issue because the character of a person can also come in play.

When applied to the subject of infidelity, non-existence of a ready opportunity is not always an effective deterrent. A person who is determined to cheat will find ways and means to realize the intention. In the same breath, a person who is determined not to cheat will find ways and means to avoid falling into the infidelity trap. The only real obstacle for the former is physical inability to carry out the plan while the latter can be under threat. Otherwise, everything all boils down to a person's character.

It is often degrading how humans tend to compare themselves to animals at least in the subject of sex. Most cheaters would claim inability to control themselves or having extreme sexual urges that cannot be denied even at the expense of being unfaithful to the spouse. These temporary lapses in judgment often lead to regret for the cheater and heartache for the cheated spouse.

People should realize they still have a choice in whatever situation they find themselves in except again under extreme threat of physical harm or even death. In spite of the general permissiveness of the modern society, we can still hold on to our humanity to determine what's right or wrong. Character separates one from the other.