'When I was growing up in Europe, every married man had a mistress,''

The prudes are ruining it for everyone.

I don’t think American women got the memo from Greece.

I had a Colombian coworker that said all the hotels in town are booked on Secretary's Day.

If it's any consolation, ethical non Monogamy is becoming much more popular among the young people. Of course it means she's getting some too.

Chris Rock said it best:

“Women, another woman will steal your man.”

“Men, no other man will steal your wife, but they’ll fuck her on the side.”

For someone who seems to have a knowledge of history, our OP apparently missed the historical origins of the founding of this country. Right or wrong, some traditions run deep. Not saying I agree, just providing a historical context

Orea ta les file

"Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress"

Is a letter by Benjamin Franklin dated June 25, 1745, in which Franklin counsels a young man about “channeling sexual urges.”

“At a time when America was scant one hundred years old, Benjamin Franklin was an important part of its founding mythology. Some Americans felt it their patriotic duty to hide the fact that the conqueror of electricity and continental congressman was also a raunchy (and probably unfaithful) lout.”

~ Amy Beth Werbel
~ DOB April 1964
~ Professor at SUNY-FIT
~ Graduated of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and Yale University,
~ Two-time Fulbright Scholar (to China and the U.K.)

“Benjamin Franklin had mistresses throughout his life (including one still-unknown mistress who bore his only son William Franklin), such circumstances were incompatible with “patriotic sensibilities” a century afterward…”

^ Oh that cat is out of the bag.

Franklin is known to have screwed anything that moves. Especially in Paris, he liked the French babes.

Watched a great 2 part PBS doc about Franklin recently. Fascinating man. Genius. Flawed like everyone. It didn’t pull any punches but said he was very old when he was in France and played the whole French flirtation game, but did not get layed there😢

Not to shit on anybody's jackoff fantasy, but if somebody's "happy" with a one-sided situation, they've probably been abused to the point where their self-respect is broken. Otherwise, a wife that you cheat on while you expect her to be faithful is tolerating you (regardless of continent). If I'm just going to be tolerated, I prefer a sex worker for that. Easier for her to cheerfully, briefly tolerate me while she's making fast money.

You might believe/think that sex is “free” to give and receive.

Sex is not free.

There's a price to be paid emotionally, socially, physically, in time and effort, even legally etc etc etc

Sex isn't a casual thing. It's a huge thing.

Sex is and has never been “free” in our country/society.

There has always been a “price” to pay; economically, legally, physically, emotionally etc etc etc.

“The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less.”

~ Brendan Behan
~ Irish poet
~ 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964)

The sex industry is the “oldest profession”, every country has it in one form or another, in the Fatherland 🇩🇪 is legal for a reason.

The same industry exists in the USA 🇺🇸 and England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and the “laws” handle it differently.

The paid for sex “industry” is as they said the “oldest profession” and “voluntary sex” for “love” ends up being more expensive.

It has remain essentially the same since the time of the Greek Empire.

I would refer you to Demosthenes (384 – 12 October 322 BC)
~ Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens.

1. We have courtesans for the sake of pleasure.
2. Concubines for the daily health of our bodies, and
3. Wives to bear us lawful offspring and be the faithful guardians of our homes

In this list is the Greek view of woman in the classic age.

In today’s world Demosthenes would say:

We have:

1. High end escorts, centerfolds, actresses, models, Strippers (ITC OTC) etc that provide PSE/GFE for the sake of pleasure.
2. Mistresses/Sugar Babies/Concubines; etc, for the daily health of our bodies.
3. Trophy Girlfriends/Wives to bear us lawful offspring, and be the faithful guardians of our homes.
4. Realistic Sex Dolls/Gynoids/Fembots, and Internet Porn and Instagram/Onlyfans “Models”, for kicks-and-giggles”.
5. Street walkers and crack whores for when you are horny, drunk, high, depressed, bipolar or just plain stupid and crazy, poor and miserable and can’t afford anything else.

Historically It is the same all over the world…

Remember

“In this country, you gotta make the money first.

Then when you get the money, you get the power.

Then when you get the power, then you get the women.”

~ Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) in the movie Scarface (1983)

If I was well off I'd definitely would have some ladies on the side.