Why Men Cheat

In the film, Moonstruck, a woman played by Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis, correctly suspects her husband of having an affair. Instead of confronting him immediately, (she does later in the film), she first wants to understand her husband and their situation. Periodically throughout the film, she asks family, friends and even strangers why men cheat. She is given many and varied explanations, sometimes reflecting the person who is asked. “Nerves,” posits one guy, who is they type who constantly gets drinks thrown in his face by offended dates.

One of the more eloquent answers to her question of why men cheat is the creation story in the Bible when a rib is taken from Adam to make Eve. When this happened, an emptiness was created inside a man, which is the reason he is always in a search for Eve.
“But why does a man need more than one woman!” Mrs. Kastrini asks indignantly.

Perhaps the answer that there is a certain kind of emotional emptiness that needs to be filled goes a long way in explaining why men cheat. Perhaps a man who cheats does not feel fulfilled in his marriage and life and wants “extra” security. Although this might answer the question of why people cheat, it does not answer the question of why men cheat.

Perhaps one explanation is that men are different hormonally from women. Their hormones make them more prone to aggressive behavior and risk-taking. So it is not so much a question of filling a void but of fulfilling a desire to assert one’s independence and to break the rules. To express this nature, a man who wants to engage in an activity that is less destructive to his marriage, his reputation and his spiritual life should pursue sports activities or hobbies that involve excitement. He might invest a small amount of money in the stock market. A man who feels drawn to thrill-seeking should make sure that he has a job that suits him. Boredom with one’s life and job is another reason why many men cheat. It is worth taking a lower salary to be involved in a profession that is interesting and exciting.