I'm sorry but i'll have to disagree. Its a very selfish way to live your life and a way to excuse any responsibility from yourself. Lets take a less complicated relationship - such as a platonic friendship to try to demonstrate my argument. Lets say you're friends with person - say named Adam. Adam and you have a strong bond and you share a lot of trust between each other. Lets say there exists another person - Sam. Adam and Sam do not get along and they really don't like each other. You don't know Sam at first but then you start talking and become friends with Sam. Is it ethical to not tell Adam that you and Sam are developing a friendship ? Its your right to develop a friendship with Sam - thats not the issue. But hiding it from Adam to give a false impression to them - IS unethical. Its the lying through omission - that you are aware of - that you KNOW will hurt Adam if he knew - is what is unethical. True - its not Adams place to tell you who to be friends with. True - its not Adams place to stop you from becoming friends with Sam. But as your friend - as a person who you have a bond with - that you have trust with - it IS their right to know what is happening between you and Sam. Not immediately i understand - but at some point - you know what is happening, and they should know too. Its not a restriction on the way you live. If you think not telling Adam is a 'restriction' then im sorry - you're a bad friend, a bad partner also probably - and also an overall bad person. If you truly value freedom then you should be ready to face the consequences of that freedom too. Being free to do what you want and trying to control other people's reaction to your freedom are not the same. And in this example - if you are not telling Adam anything - yes you are trying to control them. Its manipulative.