AITA: Internet asks woman to 'leave' her boyfriend after he gave ultimatum to quit her job

A woman recently took to Reddit’s 'Am I The A**hole' (AITA) forum to share that her boyfriend had issued her an ultimatum: either she quits her stable office job that she enjoys (even if it's not her passion) or he will leave her.

The original poster (OP) explained her boyfriend, who is "anti-corporate" and advocates for life "off the grid," has been pushing her to leave her job for over a year, even though he lacks a concrete plan for their future. This culminated in an ultimatum, with him claiming that her job and "slave mindset" are holding him back from living freely, and he believes she's the one causing stress in their relationship, as per People.

The Reddit post has now been deleted.

Woman faces relationship ultimatum over her office job that pays the bills

The OP wrote, "My job is not my life's passion, but it pays the bills. I’m decent at it, and it’s solid." However, her boyfriend has been persistently pushing her to abandon her job and join him in pursuing what he calls a "carefree" life, free from the "slave mindset" of corporate jobs.

He dreams of the two of them living off the grid without responsibilities, but when asked for concrete details, he becomes vague, saying she doesn’t understand "true freedom."

Things escalated when the boyfriend issued her an ultimatum: "Either I quit my job and 'wake up to real life,' or he’s out, because he’s done dating an 'office zombie.'"

She tried to explain that her paycheck helped cover their living expenses, including rent and food, but he insisted that her "chains" were stressing him out. After refusing to quit, the boyfriend stormed out, leaving their friends divided on the issue. Some believe she's missing out on a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance, while others see it as a manipulation tactic.

The situation has left her questioning whether her priorities are out of sync with her boyfriend's desires.

Redditors urge woman to leave her boyfriend and focus on own happiness

The woman who was given an ultimatum by her boyfriend to quit her office job or face a breakup received a wave of support from the online community, with many urging her to leave him. 

Many commenters rallied behind her decision to stick with her stable job, with one top response garnering 16,000 upvotes. "It sounds like he is the one draining your resources and holding you back. Free time isn’t that fun when you have zero dollars. Set that free spirit free," the top comment read.

Other Redditors were quick to point out that the boyfriend's "living off the grid" dream was based on "magical thinking" and the resources of others. "NTA (not the a------). The trash took itself out," one wrote, advising her to move forward without him.

Some even mocked the boyfriend's vision of a carefree lifestyle, comparing it to the fantasies of "trust fund influencers" who don’t face the harsh realities of life. "Life costs money and money comes from somewhere," one reminded. "Let him go and focus on your own happiness."

"NTA. Drop the freeloader and do NOT take him back when he 'spontaneously' comes crawling back into your life bc good vibes don't pay bills," advised one, while another stated, "NTA. You'll find a better boyfriend much more easily than you'll find a better job."

"NTA Show him the door and tell him to follow his dreams," said a person. One more offered, "NTA. Losers like that always whine about the system, yet still somehow enjoy the products of said system. But here in the real world, we need jobs to pay bills and fund our lifestyle. Drop that loser and find someone who works for a living."

"I bet that if OP did decide to live off the grid with her boyfriend, when everything falls apart, he'd blame her for not believing enough to make it work. He needs to stop giving ultimatums and go live his best life without her. He'll soon find out life was so much better with her checks," remarked a user, with another adding, "He sounds super controlling and unrealistic. Prioritize your own goals and happiness first!"

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