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What Is an Absolute Deal-Breaker in a Relationship?

Thu, 10/09/2008 - 8:00am by DearSugar
2,601 Views - 57 comments

Maxim magazine's mission was to help its male readers understand us women a little better, and I think it is accomplishing its goal! Asking what chivalrous things you expect a man to do certainly struck a chord with all of you earlier this week, which leads me to believe that you're going to have plenty to say in response to this question, too.

So before taking Maxim's survey, I have a question for you to answer right here! As we all know, people make mistakes in their relationships, but some blunders are irreconcilable. So ladies, tell us what you consider absolute deal-breakers when it comes to your relationships.

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57 Comments Add a Comment

  • k8 rckstr's picture
    k8 rckstr
    1

    All of the above, except online porn (within reason).
    A flirter and a cheater are liars... they all kind of go together.
    None of those things fly with me.

    8 weeks 7 hours ago Report Comment
  • cmd0610's picture
    cmd0610
    2

    Cheating/Flirting is equally bad in my book, big lies are bad too, small exaggerations are ok like when I was dating before and I would tell guys I'm a runner and they exaggerate a bit on how much they "love" to run when they do it only like 2x a month but those "exaggeration lies" within reason can be cute if they are just trying to show they can be into something you are into.

    8 weeks 7 hours ago Report Comment
  • Marni7's picture
    Marni7
    3

    hmm cheating and lying..but not about anything like it says here..( I agree with cmd on the difference between big lies and small exaggerations)..fliting would make me MAD and very heated but I dont think it always a deal breaker. Depending on the time of flirting I guess..sometimes it is in our human nature to flirt with someone of the opposite sex..I am talking about innocent flirting, not continuously talking to someone in attempt to eventually get them into bed..if that makes sense-

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Fallen85's picture
    Fallen85
    5

    Cheating is a total deal breaker for me. If you put an intimate body part on another woman's intimate body part then you are outta there. Flirting can be forgiven in some situations but cheating... not a chance.

    Lying is bad too but it completely depends on the lie and the reasons for lying. Porn is just porn.. I like porn... if you're obsessed with porn and would rather watch porn the have real sex then there's an issue but otherwise... it's just porn.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Mesayme's picture
    Mesayme
    6

    Cheating. Even having female friends that they spend one-on-one time together. Lying about addictions and violence of any kind.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Whiplash's picture
    Whiplash
    7

    All of them, except the porn.

    I've got other dealbreakers, though. Like I could never be with a guy who didn't read (books, not just magazines). And I couldn't be with a guy who was obsessed with sports, or who was way too into his car.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • bbkf's picture
    bbkf
    8

    For me, it depends on the seriousness of the relationship. Cheating and lying would be deal-breakers if I was dating someone, but none of them would be dealbreakers for my marriage.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • cravinsugar's picture
    cravinsugar
    9

    I chose other because All of the above! Thef lirting thing is where he might have some lee-way though. He tends to not realize women are flirting with him until I point it out. Then he tries to avoid those situations (this hapened a lot when we worked together...then he learned how to identify someone being friendly from someone who was into him).

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Lovely_1's picture
    Lovely_1
    10

    Cheating and lying about anythign for sure.
    Porn, who cares.
    Flirting, my man sucks @ it Eye-wink

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Berlin's picture
    Berlin
    11

    I won't tolerate cheating. Lying sucks but we all do it and as long as it isn't about cheating:) Flirting is fine with me! But then again, we're both bartenders so our income kind of depends on it lol. And online porn, well we both like that too hehe. Yeah, and as Lovely says, my man's flirting...he REALLY sucks at it too!

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • goldengirl23's picture
    goldengirl23
    12

    Of course it depends on what he's lying about. Little white lies I actually appreciate a lot of the time. If he cheats on you, you have to look at the situation. Do you really love each other and are committed for the long haul? If it was a mistake and he realizes that and does NOT have any sort of dating relationship with the other then it can be forgiven. Before you are married. Guys need to get this immature stuff out of their systems before they get married which is why I know too many divorced people under the age of 27.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • Hiding55's picture
    Hiding55
    13

    My last relationship was with a man who lied about almost everything and I didn't see it until I was out of the relationship. Lying is a huge deal breaker for me. Cheating is also a huge deal breaker for obvious reasons. I am a huge flirt and I don't mind if my man is also within reason of course and I love porn so that is fine by me too!!

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • mmechou's picture
    mmechou
    14

    i guess the only thing that has really ever been a deal breaker is falling out of love. we tend to forgive in others what we would like them to forgive in us (IDEALLY), so it's hard for me to bash cheating, not to mention lying.

    8 weeks 6 hours ago Report Comment
  • myystque's picture
    myystque
    15

    Cheating because I am a naturally jealous person anyway and I would probably never forget about the incident. I don't understand what's bad about online porn--it's just like any other type of porn, right? As long as he's not a porn addict, it's okay. Hey, even I like porn once in awhile.

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • Sun_Sun's picture
    Sun_Sun
    16

    i have zero tolerance when it come to cheating in any way shape or form, including [intentional] flirting. i think we all flirt sometimes without realizing it.
    lying about important stuff, things that affect our life together is a big no no. small white lies are just habitual sometimes.

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • msakamary's picture
    msakamary
    18

    In my opinion, all of the above are deal breakers. Porn, cheating, lying, flirting... Most porn watchers, from my experience, flirt with women online and offline, at work or at the store... Cheating is cheating, online and in person. Time to raise the standards of how a couple should treat each other, with respect. Porn is disrespectful, so is flirting, in any way, shape or form.

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • Deidre's picture
    Deidre
    20

    Cheating IS essentially lying. Maxim doesn't seem to give very good options on these multiple-choice polls they're posting for us!

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • roxtarchic's picture
    roxtarchic
    21

    lying, cheating and flirting are all deal breakers for me... innocent unintentional flirting... that wouldnt bother me to be honest, but disrespecting the relationship... by flirting w/someone. heeeeeelll no... i think it's disrespectful if he's walking w/me and checks out another woman in an obvious way, ok everyone looks (and thats not really what i mean) but dont be feasting w/your eyes not when i'm right next to you. not having it!!!

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • skigurl's picture
    skigurl
    22

    "just" kissing another girl? would he like it if i kissed another guy? it's a dealbreaker!

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • allourregrets's picture
    allourregrets
    23

    Online Porn-Not a big deal, as long as its not like serious pervert stuff.

    Flirting with other girls-doesnt make me happy, but not an absolute deal breaker.

    Cheating-Unforgivable, no matter the excuse. Definate deal breaker

    Lying-I cant stand liars and if he makes a habit of lying to me, then yes it would be a deal breaker. But we all tell little white lies from time to time. I would never break up with my boyfriend because he said "you look so pretty" When I know I dont because I just woke up after a night of drinking, with last nights makeup still on(well... smeared down my face) And my hair is a fright. lol. Eye-wink

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • HeidiMD's picture
    HeidiMD
    25

    At this point, two and a half months away from my wedding, I would be devastated if my fiance cheated on (not like I think he ever would, though!). We have been together for four years, and it would be a huge betrayal of the entire life we have built together. No amount of counseling or talking or whatever else would help me get over it.

    8 weeks 5 hours ago Report Comment
  • CaterpillarGirl's picture
    CaterpillarGirl
    26

    None of those, my deal breakers:

    being abusive verbally, mentally or physically.

    thats about it, oh and if he totally kills someone.

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • Renee3327's picture
    Renee3327
    27

    Cheating is really the only thing that is an absolute deal-breaker. We've all told little white lies and left things out so I don't think you can say all lies are the absolute end of a relationship.

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • valancyjane's picture
    valancyjane
    28

    Wow, mine are way different. I think my dealbreakers are more about how you live your life as opposed to one-time actions.

    In my last relationship before I met my husband, the thing that ended it was when he said he would not be comfortable baptizing our kids or raising them in a church. We loved each other (in an angsty, early-20s kind of way), but that was something I couldn't put up with. So, done.

    With my husband ... I know cheating is a dealbreaker for him, because we've talked about it. For me, it would depend on context. There's drunken kisses and there's affairs.

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • platinum89's picture
    platinum89
    29

    cheating is certainly a deal breaker. lying...eh.. it really depends on the situation and what truth was being covered. flirting really isn't a deal breaker with me. if its fun and playful (i/e teasing) its fine, but if it gets a bit intimate, then its time for a talk. its hard not to feel attraction towards other people even if you are with someone. when my guy and i are at parties, i get a little buzzed (not drunk, i refuse to let him see me like a mess) and he gets drunk. he flirts a little and so do i. we both see each other do it. but when we come back to each other, the flirting is MUCH MORE intimate than it was with the other people. when we're sober we don't flirt at all with others. in a way, it makes me more appreciative that I'm with him; i always find something i don't like in the guy whose flirting with me and hold my boyfriend up on a much high pedestal. it reminds me how lucky i am. i have no qualms about porn as long as hes not addicted or its on the verge of child porn. thats when you get out FAST.

    of course my other deal breaker is abuse; emotional/physical/verbal. i was once in a relationship with emotional/verbal abuse and i was completely blind to it... i believed the guy when he said everything was my fault. i got really stressed, couldn't deal with it and became underweight. i then dropped him like a hot potato and got myself back to normal.

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • bijou boheme's picture
    bijou boheme
    30

    abuse. disrespect. ignorance. those are my dealbreakers. the ones mentioned in the poll are very situational for me. once my boyfriend made a mistake. he got incredibly drunk and a girl that his friend brought to the party started to make out with my guy. that night he cried and couldn't stop telling every one how much he loved me. a couple days later, he told me what happened and that he felt crushed and understood if i wanted to break up with him. he said this all through tears.

    we had been together three years, and i loved him more than anything. i knew he regretted it, and had no intention of cheating again. my trust was still there because i saw how devastated he was. i didn't think for a second that i would leave him. we are happy and still together two years later.

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • Katmandu6886's picture
    Katmandu6886
    31

    Trust is a big thing....If you don't have that how does anything else even matter???

    8 weeks 4 hours ago Report Comment
  • abbylovesdancing's picture
    abbylovesdancing
    32

    littering. if a man litters in front of me, any attraction that i ever felt for him disappears completely. it's so disrespectful and rude, and shows me that he thinks the rules don't apply to him. guess again, buddy!

    8 weeks 3 hours ago Report Comment
  • faerymagick15's picture
    faerymagick15
    34

    I had to say "other". Mine would be physical/emotional/mental abuse. I could forgive the other things mentioned in the right circumstances and with the right situations. But any kind of abuse...that is a deal breaker.

    8 weeks 3 hours ago Report Comment
  • aylee's picture
    aylee
    35

    My first boyfriend cheated on me. I gave him a second chance and nothing was ever the same. I had to end the relationship. So cheating is definitely the deal breaker for me. I don't think giving the guy a second chance is worth it. I'll never be the same with him.

    8 weeks 3 hours ago Report Comment
  • sam i am's picture
    sam i am
    36

    Cheating in a way is all of the above. Most likely he is lying about cheating and if he's been with her sexually he may as well be looking at porn not to mention she probably didn't just jump at him, he had to flirt his way through to be with her. Cheating is a big deal and an indiscreation that definately needs to be addressed but it may not necessarily be the deal breaker. I think everything is circumstancial. Porn for me would probably be a deal breaker more than anything. Due to past experience I noticed his lack of enthusiasum for me because of the porn. It completely killed our sexual life and hurt the relationship. He didn't find me attractive anymore because I didn't have the porn star body. Obviously he was an addict and maybe without an addiction it wouldn't be such a big deal. That's why I say it is all situational and circumstancial.

    8 weeks 2 hours ago Report Comment
  • yadiet's picture
    yadiet
    37

    all of the above except for the Porn. Guys will be guys!!

    8 weeks 1 hour ago Report Comment
  • sugarbritches's picture
    sugarbritches
    38

    Laziness - I cannot tolerate a man who isn't willing to work as hard as I am

    Violence / Abuse - Physical, emotional, mental...any kind is worth leaving

    Most of the above could potentially cause the fight that would break us up I guess...

    8 weeks 1 hour ago Report Comment
  • jacrabbit84's picture
    jacrabbit84
    39

    I wouldn't like ANY of those, but I think cheating can be grouped under the lying umbrella since deception is involved. Once trust is broken it's usually impossible to fully restore.

    8 weeks 53 min ago Report Comment
  • jacrabbit84's picture
    jacrabbit84
    40

    CaterpillarGirl: "oh and if he totally kills someone."

    WOW, yeah that would definitely be a dealbreaker. LOL

    8 weeks 50 min ago Report Comment
  • GlowingMoon's picture
    GlowingMoon
    41

    For me, the three A's -- addiction, adultery, and abuse. Any forms of this, I'm gone. I think I heard this from Dr. Laura. Smiling

    7 weeks 6 days ago Report Comment
  • Mesayme's picture
    Mesayme
    42

    I read this and I thought...I wonder how many of you consider cheating as physical and mental abuse...because it is. You could get a disease and then there's the angst over it. What if it's a same sex partner and you two are not...not cool.

    7 weeks 6 days ago Report Comment
  • baybelle's picture
    baybelle
    43

    Any kind of violence - verbal or physical. (oh and cheating too, of course)

    7 weeks 6 days ago Report Comment
  • sparklestar's picture
    sparklestar
    45

    Oh wait... not porn... porn is fine as long as it's not excessive use.