Womaniser or Nice Guy?
What causes a man to cheat? Some women will quickly blame it on what they believe to be a man’s weakness of the flesh. A more compassionate woman might assess the behaviour as a man’s possible dissatisfaction with his current relationship. Within the context of Jamaican culture, a generational endorsement of womanising by many Jamaican men over the decades is at the heart of this country’s widespread male infidelity.
Peer pressure is something that most believe disappears once one completes high school. However, the pressure of fitting in can still be found in some of the very things that adults purchase to gain acceptance in society. Homes, cars, you name it. I believe that a certain percentage of Jamaica’s cheating male demographic are actually victims of an adult form of peer pressure.
In order to be a true womaniser or ‘Gallist’, a certain type of emotional detachment is required in my estimation. Most men do not possess this crucial trait. I’m convinced that there
are a number of men here in Jamaica who are privately nice guys at heart, falsely projecting a “Gallist” persona to avoid being referred to as soft by their male friends and family members.
One can never underestimate the importance of perceived machismo for some men.
As beautiful as Jamaica is, the ugly reality is that many of the country’s men are out of control sexually. Somewhere along the way, somebody told them that it was commendable to have as much sex with as many women as possible. I personally enjoy some good sex myself, but the idea of continuously hopping from one woman to the next is spiritually destructive. Yes , it may be true that some persons are incapable of functioning in monogamous relationships, but I feel that they are in the minority.
In a country such as Jamaica, with beautiful women from one parish to the next, the temptation to cheat will always be present in the minds of most Jamaican men. But exercising the discipline to stick with one woman, shows that you, and not your hormones are in control of your actions.
David Dacosta is a freelance writer.
