They say it is a ‘man thing’ this fantasy about swapping their wife or partner for someone new. Unfunny jokes about trading up to a newer model abound, some even indulge in a swinging lifestyle. But now it seems that some 13% of men in the UK, according to new research conducted by pollsters GfK NOP, would gladly swap their other half for the latest gadget.
Personally I do not find this a surprising statistic, given the poor state of many relationships and the huge attraction of gadgets such as the iPhone or PS3. Oh, and the fact that so many men are shallow and self-obsessed of course. What I do find surprising is that only 6% of women would do likewise, especially when you balance the attractive gadgets against us unattractive men. The Women's Watch: Girls Gone Wired survey reckons that some 77% of women would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond solitaire necklace, and 86% would take a new digital video camera over a new pair of designer shoes (obviously they never consulted my Jimmy Choo obsessed wife for her opinion on this.)