Yes, Ethan strikes me as one who never figures the consequences first, and when he realizes there are consequences, is discontented until he does the next dumb thing. He's a man who can not put away his dissatisfaction.

Yup. That's the first thing that struck me. Ethan hates Bill with a fury that has reached biblical, even congressional, proportions.

Ethan is jealous and resentful of Masters. Ethan has his greatest opportunity for celebrity snatched away by Masters, who behaves vainly and high-handedly against him. Ethan knows that Masters has a sub-basement-level sperm count. And then he announces to Libby, Bill's wife, whom he's been treating for infertility…