'AN ELF ALIGHTS HIS STEED FOR GREENER PASTURES' 2026 MELANI DU JARDIN OIL ON CANVAS FRAMED 50 X 60 CM

ORIGINAL FRAMED OIL PAINTING BY MELANI DU JARDIN

This work is a comment about the role of technology in the rates of cheating and betrayal and the rise of the concept of micro-cheating. While cheating statistics in physical affairs are stable, digital and emotional infidelity are perceived to be rising dramatically. Younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) hold a much wider definition of what constitutes cheating. A significant majority now classify "micro-cheating"—such as maintaining an active dating app profile, hiding text messages, or frequently interacting with an ex on Instagram—as a breach of trust.  Technology has not necessarily made people cheat more, but it has made cheating infinitely easier to discover. Location tracking, cloud synchronization, and text histories mean covert behaviour is brought to light far quicker than in previous decades.