Sweethearting in The Bahamas: Malfeasance or misorientation?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15362/ijbs.v31i2.637Keywords:
Sweethearting, Interpersonal relationships, Relationships, PsychologyAbstract
This paper provides a descriptive frame of the persistent issue of marital infidelity or sweethearting in The Bahamas. Beyond outlining the moral and ethical challenges of this behaviour, the paper begins with a delineation of the various terms used to describe infidelity in the Bahamian context. Language here provides insight into a significant axiological distinction, demonstrating that the cultural value placed on the extramarital relationship—particularly the contrast between sweethearting and the more pejorative scheming—outlines how not all infidelity is classified or valued in the same way. This paper therefore demonstrates how sweethearting can be used as a model to exemplify an axiological analysis of the incongruencies in Bahamian culture and the need to align them with worldviews that more accurately reflect the culture in which we create our lives and make meaning of them. By employing a cultural and historical lens, this work explores the complex paradigm supporting infidelity, questioning whether the practice is inherently problematic or if a broader understanding of the prevailing cultural worldview can lead to new perspectives. By examining the socio-economic, legal, and religious factors that contribute to the complexity of marriage in The Bahamas, this work attempts to demonstrate that Bahamians’ paradoxical relationship with infidelity is but one social malady that highlights the many contradictions that are embedded within Bahamian culture and could benefit from a cultural exposé.
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