AITA for refusing to quit my job ‘cause my boyfriend thinks the corporate world is “soul-sucking”?

A 25-year-old woman is conflicted after her boyfriend of two years, an anti-corporate free spirit, gave her an ultimatum to quit her stable office job or risk ending the relationship. He dreams of an off-grid, spontaneous lifestyle but offers no concrete plans for financial survival,

despite her job contributing significantly to their shared expenses. While she values stability, half her friends claim she’s missing out on a unique life opportunity, while others believe he’s being manipulative. read the original story below…

‘ AITA for refusing to quit my job ‘cause my boyfriend thinks the corporate world is “soul-sucking”?’

So I’ve been dating this guy (27M) for two years now. Dude is like *anti-corporate to the extreme*. He’s constantly going off about how capitalism is trash, anyone working a “normal” job is brainwashed, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, I’m (25F) actually doing pretty well at my office job.

I mean, it’s not my “life’s passion” or anything, but it’s solid, I’m decent at it, and hey, it pays the bills. About a year ago, he started hardcore pushing me to quit. According to him, I need to “break free” from this “slave mindset” and, I quote, “find myself.”

He keeps talking about how we could live this carefree, spontaneous life, “following our souls” or whatever. He’s got these *big dreams* of us “living off the grid” with zero responsibilities… but no actual plan on how we’re supposed to survive other than “going with the flow.”

When I asked for real details, he just got vague and started saying I don’t understand what true freedom is. So, just a couple days ago, he gave me this ultimatum: either I quit my job and “wake up to real life,” or he’s out, because he’s done dating an “office zombie.”

And, to make things worse, he says *I’m* the one holding *him* back ‘cause my “chains” are stressing him out. I tried explaining that, like, I actually like my life the way it is, and it’s my paycheck that’s covering our rent and food half the time, not his little “side hustles.”

When I told him no way, he stormed out, and now half our friends are telling me I’m missing out on a “once-in-a-lifetime” chance to live my best life. The other half thinks he’s just trying to guilt-trip me into dropping everything to follow his fantasy. So, **AITA** for choosing stability and not jumping into his whole “free spirit” lifestyle? Like, sorry, but someone’s gotta be the adult here, right?

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

Freerangechickem −  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

Quirky_Independent79 −  NTA. The trash took itself out. Let us know how the poor man’s Bear Grylls is doing once you close your wallet to him

BlackEyedRat −  I mean alternative lifestyles are cool and I am envious of them often as a fellow “corporate drone”. But they also require a pretty rare set of circumstances to work comfortably. You either need a well paid freelance or influencer role or a good amount of startup capital.

He may hate capitalism but at the end of the day money makes the world go round and he’ll find “true freedom” without any cash is a difficult path to walk.
I’m also confused as to what you are missing out on by breaking up? What is this dude providing that literally anybody couldn’t provide?

You could decide a week after dumping this l**er that you want the vanlife and then it would be open to you to pursue that, without this anchor on your finances.

Rooster_Fish-II −  NTA. Sounds like a l**er. All those grand plans of living off the grid, blah blah blah, are for trust fund influencers who don’t live in reality.
Life costs money and money comes from somewhere. Living in a van down by the river, delivering DoorDash might work for him but it doesn’t make you wrong. Let him go and focus on your own happiness.

PatentlyRidiculous −  NTA. Can’t wait to see how he feels about your corporate job and capitalism when he needs to go to the hospital. Boot him

Ok_Resource_8530 −  I only have one thing to add. Do NOT ‘loan’ him money to fund his off grid life. You know he is going to try to guilt you into it because you held him back. And all those friends telling you to go with him, can fund him.

AdWaste3417 −  He sounds like Chris McCandless! Wants to run off and be free but with no plan for long term survival whatsoever…. Ask if he’s read “Into The Wild” recently? Just curious. You’re no kind of a**hole for not wanting to do this with him, PARTICULARLY because he has NO plan.

Some survivalist homesteaders do absolutely incredible, but they learned how and made a plan first. It takes a lot of work to stay warm and dry and fed and hydrated out there. I’d rather go to the grocery store than have to shoot squirrels to eat and pray all my crops grow right. Sounds stressful.

DoreyCat −  I’m genuinely surprised if you are actually asking this in good faith. Like are you *actually confused* over your moral right to work at a job because your boyfriend doesn’t like the corporate world. First off: I work in corporate and it absolutely is the devil. Whatever.

I love my job and it MORE than pays the bills. That being said I don’t have to quit if my husband doesn’t like it. Is there a cultural thing I’m missing here? Do you generally think, or were you raised to think, that doing things men tell you to do is preferable? What’s causing the “confusion” here?

Finally, I’m sure it was just a hyperbolic edit to fit the AITAH “template,” but if you *genuinely* have a group of friends so nosey that full on HALF OF THEM are telling you to quit your well Paying job, you need to urgently, URGENTLY reevaluate who the hell you’re hanging out with.

Certain_Mobile1088 −  He can bash “the man” bc he is using “the woman,” amirite? I can agree with his general analysis and still disagree with what is “require” of me to be true to myself. And here is a newsflash for him.

Bc we are social animals, freedom is not absolute. His freedom ends when it impinges on another’s. His free ass sounds like it’s more a freeloader..

Unusual-Solid3435 −  NTA, drop him. Find a corporate man and focus on your careers. He sounds like he will drag you down to his level. My wife and I both have been going hard in the corporate world for almost 6-7 years, our combined income is over half a million now, when we started it was about 20k a year each for an intern-like part-time job.

We’re both in the same position (software engineering) and thus are always teaching and supporting each other. Just be smart and make sure you’re pursuing a career that pays well.

Should she prioritize her career and practical life goals or consider the adventurous path her boyfriend envisions? Is he inspiring her to dream bigger or unfairly pressuring her to sacrifice her independence? what do you think? share your thoughts below!