Kit B. Poon

Life’s short. Have an affair. Few things in life are as sacred as the trust and love built into a marriage. In the US, it can be viewed as a binding contract between a man and a woman (or in some states, a man and a man or a woman and a woman) that allows them to file taxes jointly, share medical and retirement benefits and real property.

However, in a romantic world, marriage is the lawful union of a man and a woman who have expressed their devotion, love, trust, loyalty, dedication and adoration for one another to friends, family, pets, strangers and the state. Even modern vows stem from the traditional Roman Catholic vows of a husband and wife vowing to "...have and to hold... in richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

With modern times come modern ideas. In a democratic society that is constantly changing, Americans frequently witness liberal viewpoints on subjects such as capital punishment, politics, public health care and relationships. One interesting (and disconcerting) website that has emerged in the last 10 years is AshleyMadison.com.

For those of you who don't know, Ashley Madison is a dating website that caters and advertises to individuals who are seeking partners to participate with in an extra marital affair.

In the last decade, social networking and dating sites have exploded all over the market by offering a forum for people to meet like-minded individuals and hopefully establish a romantic or platonic relationship. AshleyMadison.com advertises its services on the radio in Southern California as the premier website to visit if you are married or in a relationship, but looking to stray. They promise anonymity, complete privacy and even offer an Affair Guarantee (if you purchase the "Affair Package" and follow their rules, you will be refunded the cost of the package if you don't find someone within 3 months.) On their website they show blurry photos of couples in compromising positions, suggesting that if you join their service, you could be one of the lucky people found in a compromising position. Their motto is "Life is short. Have an affair", they charge a fee to have full access to their service and have a section dedicated to questions asking about the companies view on infidelity.

Although the website clearly states, "No, Ashley Madison does not encourage anyone to stray. In fact, if you are having difficulty with your relationship, you should seek counseling;" it goes on to explain, "However, if you still feel that you will seek a person other than your partner to fill your unmet needs, then we truly believe that our service is the best place to start."

To me, this statement is the equivalent of a tobacco company stating, "We strongly encourage you not to smoke cigarettes because they can kill you. However, if you do decide to kill yourself, we sincerely feel that our product is the best one to help you do that."

AshleyMadison.com is a clear example of a company that is marketing an unethical product. It is an immoral service which assists in tearing apart the families that make up the fabric of America. They say in their FAQs that they do not encourage cheating, yet they advertise on the radio and use suggestive images to entice a person to sign up for their service.

Do you think major communications companies like Cox and Clear Channel should allow companies like these to blatantly advertise and encourage infidelity on their media?

Graphic Credit:
Animationfactory.com