KMT lawmaker did well to confess his affair

Legislator Wu was by all accounts on an upward career trajectory and pundits have speculated he would eventually run for Taipei County commissioner, but after last Friday's revelations, such dreams may have to be put on hold. Wu now joins a famous crowd of men who have had their public lives torpedoed by extra-marital affairs.

Both of Taiwan's major parties as well as practically every political system on earth have seen their share of wayward political husbands. American politics has been a hotbed of cheating in recent years with notable cases including former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards and former New York governor Elliot Spitzer.

Psychologists and sociologists say there are genuine evolutionary reasons why many men fall prey to the temptation to stray from their wives. The urge for novelty and excitement is a powerful force but we shouldn't forget that women no doubt also get bored with their life partners and would presumably enjoy some exotic new romantic adventures themselves. Some women do of course cheat on their partners, but when it comes to public figures, the story is usually one of a powerful man being unfaithful to a loyal wife.

Some men cheat because they crave excitement. Others succumb to the lure of the power trip; craving and enjoying having their ego pampered and will fall for anyone who provides this. Some powerful men may even come to believe they are invincible and will ignore or overlook the risks involved in public cheating. Indeed, some cheeky commentators have already criticized Wu for his appalling lack of cleverness in taking his date to a popular motel that is known to be staked out often by local paparazzi.

There is a well-known tale from ancient Rome that tells of how each time a conquering hero returned to the immortal city for his victory parade, a slave would ride alongside the general whispering in his ear, “Remember, you are only a mortal.” The point was to remind the victor not to get too caught up in the moment. Perhaps a modern day equivalent is needed to remind some politicians that without the support of their loyal wives, they would never have come so far.

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