Why Men Stumble So Often

November 13, 2012

Published in die Presse
(Austria) on 12 November 2012
by Jutta Sommerbauer (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Ron Argentati. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.

It's amazing how men in their prime get tripped up by their own extra-marital affairs as regularly as clockwork. Neither does this latest little bagatelle have much to do with raging male hormones or the eternal lure of the female sex (too often crassly described as a “sex trap”); General Petraeus seems to have fallen victim to the allure of his own power. He has become the out-of-control controller.

We're not pointing fingers at Petraeus nor at any other prominent men; that would be stupid. But perhaps a little self-reflection now and then wouldn't come amiss. Even if only for purposes of planning one’s own career.

Warum die Herren so häufig stolpern
Von JUTTA SOMMERBAUER (Die Presse)

Es ist verblüffend, wie Männer in den besten Jahren in regelmäßigen Abständen über ihre Affären stolpern. Auch das aktuelle G'schichtl handelt nicht so sehr von den angeblich so unkontrollierbaren männlichen Hormonen oder ewigen Verlockungen des weiblichen Geschlechts (oft unschön als „Sexfalle“ bezeichnet); Herr Petraeus scheint vielmehr den Verlockungen der eigenen Machtposition erlegen zu sein: Er ist der außer Kontrolle geratene Kontrolleur.

Wir wollen nicht mit dem Finger auf ihn und andere arrivierte Herrschaften zeigen, das wäre albern. Vielleicht wäre aber hin und wieder ein wenig Selbstreflexion nicht schlecht. Und wenn es nur wegen der eigenen Karriereplanung ist.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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