Why Men Stumble So Often

148

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 .

Tags:
Austria

Hot this week

Block title

Lebanon: From Venezuela to Iran: US Move To Contain China and Control Resources

March 4, 2026. Published in Annahar

Ireland: The Irish Times View on War in the Middle East: the Conflict Widens

March 2, 2026. Published in Irish Times

Austria: Power Struggle for Voting Rights in the United States

March 3, 2026. Published in Der Standard

Trump’s agenda, providing chaos under the cover of order, is moving forward.

Canada: Carney Has My Sympathy as He Tries To Navigate a War Led by Trump and Hegseth

March 6, 2026. Published in Toronto Star

Austria: Trump’s Claim to Power Is at Stake in the Battle over US Tariffs

March 6, 2026. Published in Der Standard

By announcing a new round of tariffs, Trump has made it clear that no one can restrain him. ... His only ideology is himself.

Topics

Australia: Defying Donald Trump and Stepping Out of the Shadows, Mojtaba Khamenei Ascends

March 9, 2026. Published in ABC News Australia

Australia: Oil Markets Can’t Bank on Deal Maker Donald Trump in the Middle East

March 9, 2026. Published in ABC News Australia

Spain: The Strength of American Democracy

March 8, 2026. Published in La Razón

The executive branch is not all-powerful, not even when it invokes the defense of the national interest.

Saudi Arabia: Washington and Europe… A Rupture Confirmed by War

March 7, 2026. Published in Asharq Al-Awsat

Washington has demonstrated beyond any doubt that its rift with Europe is irreversible, by deliberately choosing to go to war against Iran without consulting its European allies.

Egypt: Iran under Fire: Strategic Miscalculations and the Uncertain Path of the War

March 7, 2026. Published in Ahram Online

The conclusion is that the war will likely continue for several weeks.

India: How Trump’s Contradictions on Iran May Open a Pandora’s Box in West Asia

March 7, 2026. Published in Firstpost

Has the Trump administration realized that they have to live with the clerical order in Iran?

Indonesia: Too Close to Trump: Gambling Sovereignty, Humanity for US’ Approval

March 7, 2026. Published in The Jakarta Post

The trajectory is clear: Jakarta is tilting toward Washington at a cost many fear will be borne by ordinary Indonesians.

Philippines: Oil, Oil, Oil — and US Defeat

March 7, 2026. Published in The Manila Times

Military power is just a necessity for enjoying the blessings of oil.

Austria: The Tariff Ruling Impacts Several Pillars of Trump’s Political Agenda

March 1, 2026. Published in Der Standard

Trump and his advisers have repeatedly insisted that the U.S. president can pretty much do whatever he wants and that the pesky Congress need only be consulted rarely.

Austria: Jeff Bezos Is Not Solely To Blame for The Washington Post’s Decline

February 14, 2026. Published in Der Standard

[E]ven a new owner ... would be unable to avoid making cuts to the editorial staff, and even that wouldn’t guarantee the Post’s survival.

Austria: In His Blunt Manner, Vance Comes to Netanyahu’s Aid

October 30, 2025. Published in Der Standard

The U.S. knows that the West Bank, which is not even mentioned in Trump's 20-point plan, is a weak point in the overall project.

Austria: Trump’s Solo Dream Is Over

June 4, 2025. Published in Der Standard

The important point is that, in the U.S., people are finally waking up and resisting Trump’s extremely erratic policy.

Austria: The Harvard President’s Voluntary Pay Cut Is a Strong Signal

May 24, 2025. Published in Der Standard

[Garber] is sending a signal ... that the constitutional freedom of universities is the basis of a democracy, and we must defend it.

“Angry Whites” Unable to Propel Romney to Victory

Big Spenders in the United States Are a Risk