One of the things that has significantly changed over the years is the notion of 'cheating'.
It is certainly a cultural trait, but I grew up in a society that believed that being a male AND single (as in 'unmarried') really meant that you were supposed to be promiscuous.
A young dude was supposed to work on his scorecard, gather experience, become a better, more sophisticated lover. Not embracing pervading promiscuity meant that something was wrong with you, putting it bluntly. A young, virile dude was supposed to go around sowing his wild seeds before he gets married. If he failed to do so, the urge would come later on in life, and probably destroy his marriage, family, etc..
When my buddies and I first started messing around regularly in our freshman year, none of us viewed his playmates as more than NSA hookups for here and now. Naturally, over the few months, some guys bonded with each other more than with the others. This was a recognized fact. Yet, hardly anyone ever talked about going monogamous.
Having a strong(er) bond with one or two of your buddies simply meant that the guys viewed each other as 'regulars'. They clicked sexually, socially, and even possibly emotionally to some extent. They would always find the way back to each other while exploring sex with other like-minded guys and occasionally available girls.
No doubt, these bonds were pretty transient. Even so, the bonds usually held for quite a while. And though the dudes played on the side, no one really talked about cheating.
Enters the heteronormativity of the present day, and suddenly, a few guys are being labelled 'cheaters, and even worse, the others are being blamed for helping them cheat.
Life was a bit easier, more natural when no one thought it his prerogative to either own the guy or be his moral guardian. You wanted a dynamite between your bedsheets. A player who knew all the tricks of the trade. Someone who was really going to make it worth your while. And you understood that he was a free man, gathering skill and experience while living his life on his terms.
KD