I believe the important thing to consider is - as we in the e-fed word have almost all, at one time or another said; "Quality over Quantity". I myself have had an.... Adventurous sex life. I've nothing left of my own "To Do" list - as I've done anything and everything I've wanted to try.
Now... where quality over quantity comes into play is the matter of Why one does it. Over the course of a lifetime - especially in this modern age - it's very rare to see people be their partner's one and only lover. Then there is the consideration of the situation one tends to be in at the time. If two people have a polyamorous relationship... that's their business and they're entitled to play by the rules they set out for themselves. However I, myself don't believe cheating is a viable answer in any instance - and I say that having been guilty of it under the worst of emotional duress. As is, now - I'm a "One at a Time" kind of guy. However I've done everything from Three ways to Orgies where I'm honestly not even sure how many people were there... which sounds awesome - but kind of isn't.
As it stands, my current girlfriend is an Alt Model - for me... One and Done is fine enough to keep me contented.
That's Mine!
One thing she and I have in common is - we both have a past.... mine far and away exceeds hers as she's 9 years younger than I am... but we discuss and respect that we both lived before we met. However from our first encounter until last night - we've been loyal and faithful and previous digits simply don't add into the equation.
I have the opinions I do because of a couple logical questions I had to ask Myself at one point in my life.
Is it a simple matter of - Does said amount, regardless of the sum, result from mastering one's own sexuality and sensuality? Or is it done as a negative side effect of some larger problem?
For instance... Someone may proverbially have "Too Much Love to Give" and simply doesn't adhere to exclusive relationships. In that ideal, basically as long as you're not maliciously harming others.... it's not really your own fault should an FWB catch feelings. That being said, I for one find it difficult to separate feelings from intimacy over a long term. I've had an FWB for a time, more like a stop-gap to keep my rather insatiable tastes in check.... but... I'm also one of those guys who'll treat my female counterpart as an actual friend as well because; ya know.... it doesn't hurt to hang out with her fully attired since I'm appreciative like - "Thanks for hiding my hardware, honey."
However, there was a time in my life that arose due to some past traumas I suffered as a child - where sex wasn't about intimacy, satisfaction or even connection. It was a rather bleak side effect of problems I'd had forced upon me at a young age. I do not look at what I had then thought of as a period of regaining control, and grasping for redemption - as a positive thing. I hurt people by putting my own false desires before theirs and ultimately detracted from my own quality as a person - when hallow, meaningless encounters were piled on hallow, meaningless encounters in a vain attempt to mend some cracks my problems had caused me.
All in all... I think the primary concern is "Why" one is accumulating the amount of partners they have had.
A **** and a Stud are the same thing in my opinion. If a man or woman is sexually liberated, up front and honest with their partners - then safety becomes the only real immediate concern, and numbers really mean nothing.