great dinner again today folks.. gotta keep this up! table topics for the nite (aside from those work-related, read: boring) included stange ideas on how to snip off a girl's long hair, ways to build ur resume, and near encounters with pickpockets in spain..

was trying to make a point abt the whole work and socializing issue today, but was a bit zonked out having endured listening to competitive employees argue their issues out in a boardroom for like an hour. seriously... it's not just the people, it's the company, there's just something wrong with the mentality of local companies. but shall not elaborate much here.

however, i've just managed to recollect my thoughts and guess this is what i wanted to say about infidelity and gender equality. hopefully it's clearer now.

consider the following real-life scenarios:

1) Guy A goes to sleazy KTV bar at the request of a major client. Client insists on getting call girls into the room.. in an attempt to 'fit in' with the expected behaviour and to 'bond' with the client, guy A did 'things' which, if beknownst to his girlfriend, will make her very upset. so he decides that for the good of all, she shall not come to know of this late night activity

2) [a different scenario] Girl B is a top insurance agent with a reputed insurance company. it is common knowledge that she's successful only because she sleeps with her major clients, who in turn sign up for huge policy packages.

Now, how do you think society judges these two acts of infidelity?

1) Guy A (and all the guys who have been in a similar position) will defend his actions by saying that he had no choice in socializing this way - it was purely for the sake of work, for the sake of closing one more deal to earn more money so as to better provide for his gf, or family, or dog.. whatever. In other words, they're the ones making the 'sacrifice'. Shld the girlfren be aware of this and kicks up a fuss, she is deemed as not being understanding towards her bf's career progression. She should in fact, just stay at home and suck thumb when her dinner date gets cancelled because her bf is out there groping the boobs of some other women which will (somehow) earn him more money. BUT she shld nevertheless accept this because he still loves her.

2) Girl B is less fortunate than guy A. [sigh] Males will all agree that girl B is a cheap and loose woman (even those guys who slept with her b4) , and to be her boyfren/husband is the most sia suay thing that can ever happen to a guy. Even females will join in condemning her; they'd call her nothing less than a slut who has no dignity and is completely undeserving of respect. Double whammy for girl B.

Question: why doesnt society think that girl B has no choice but to sleep with the clients so that she can close more sales? why can't it be all right for girl B's bf/husband to suck thumb at home while she gets banged by some other men in the process of earning more money?

The fact that polygamy still exists today is proof that gender equality is nothing more than a theoretical ideal; in reality, it does not exist. The fact that society even tries to justify the 'need' for men to 'socialize' underpins the very idea that a woman is worth less than her male counterpart. The fact that a man tries to keep his act of infidelilty from his partner is disrespecting her rights to decide what is good for her. And this is what i will never be able to condone - nor should you, as a female, for the fact that you deserve every right to be respected as much as the guy who is standing next to you.

Until the day comes wherein every unfaithful man owns up to his partner for his actions (without trying to find an excuse for it) and empowers her with the rights to decide the fate of their relationship; until the day comes wherein we see KTV pubs with male gigolos in it for the exclusive pleasure of the female gender -- only then can we start the debate on equality; only then will the males finally begin to understand what we, females have been enduring since the dawn of civilisation.