AITA for breaking up with my girlfriend over my video games.
In the quiet battle between love and pa*sion, a woman finds herself standing at a heartbreaking crossroads. For three years, her video game collection has been more than just a hobby—it’s a treasure trove of memories, sacrifices, and dreams carefully built through thrifting and time. But when love demands she let go of that part of herself, the cost feels unbearably high.
Faced with an ultimatum that forces her to choose between the person she loves and the pa*sion that defines her, she chooses authenticity over compromise. In the aftermath, the silence on the other end of the line echoes louder than any judgment from friends or strangers, leaving her to confront the painful truth that some sacrifices are simply too great.
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As renowned relationship expert Dr. John Gottman explains, “The most important thing in the world is that you remain connected to the person you love.” While Dr. Gottman emphasizes connection, the situation presented involves a breakdown of negotiation leading to an extreme ultimatum, which is often a destructive communication pattern. The girlfriend's demand to eliminate the entire video game collection—which holds both monetary and sentimental value representing three years of effort—is an extreme boundary violation. By framing the choice as "me or the fucking video games," she shifted the dynamic from compromise to absolute compliance. The original poster (OP), feeling defensive of their assets and history, responded by choosing the games, an action that stems from feeling unheard or overly controlled, rather than simply valuing objects over love. This scenario highlights a significant failure in establishing mutually respectful boundaries before cohabitation. From a psychological standpoint, the ultimatum itself indicates a potential power imbalance or a crisis point in the relationship where one party tests the limits of the other's commitment through unreasonable sacrifice. While discarding a collection is difficult, failing to negotiate or stand firm against an ultimatum can set poor precedents. Moving forward, the OP should recognize that such extreme demands signal deep underlying communication issues. Future success in relationships requires assertive communication about personal property and investments, avoiding situations where love is quantified by sacrifice.
AFTER THIS STORY DROPPED, REDDIT WENT INTO MELTDOWN MODE – CHECK OUT WHAT PEOPLE SAID.:
The crowd poured into the comments, bringing a blend of heated opinions, solid advice, and a few reality checks along the way.
The original poster faced an ultimatum from their partner of two years, forcing a choice between the relationship and a valued personal collection built over three years. The core conflict lies in the partner placing an extreme condition—the complete removal of the collection—on the continuation of their shared life, framing this demand as a measure of love.
Given the final decision to prioritize the collection over the partner, the central question remains: When personal property and long-term investments clash directly with a partner's non-negotiable demand for relationship commitment, is choosing the material asset an understandable act of self-preservation or a fundamental failure to prioritize the relationship?