Tag: balance of power

I was asked recently whether there was an explanation why husbands or wives stray. My answer was simple: Relationships may start out romantic, but they also remain utilitarian. Individuals are not loyal to other individuals, they are loyal only to the fulfillment of their own highest values (what is most important to them).

Everyone has a hierarchy of values—priorities—which determines how they perceive, make decisions and act upon the world.

Now that the dust has settled on the popular movie Fifty Shades of Grey, the time might be ripe for some honest introspection, in terms of how we perceive some of the issues raised by the film. Why, for example, are we so riveted by the idea of sexual submission?

Although we may each experience sex differently, what remains common, perhaps, is the understanding that a sexual relationship involves at some level the surrendering of personal power. Inherent in our ability to experience sexual pleasure is the reality of lowered barriers and a certain sense of vulnerability, no matter what role we think we may be playing in the sex act.