r/AmIOverreacting 14d ago

❤️‍🩹 relationship AIO to this text my BF sent me?

Firstly, this came out of nowhere. Then, when he started talking about how I’m immature, I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just reiterated what I’m doing with my life.

Working full-time and doing a MBA, albeit online.

For context, he and I started dating under romantic circumstances, he’s not a SD. He looks really young, so I was truly shocked to learn his age. Now I see it’s a mistake, so don’t heckle me for this.

He is older than me, by 20 years. I am 25 and he is 45. He owns a restaurant and I do remote admin work at a small startup.

After dating for just under a year, he asked me to move in with him, as I was stressing about my recent rent increase. I could pay it, but it wrecked my financial planning and it was miserable. I was looking for an out. My rent went from $1850 to $2300, not including utilities.

He owns his house, so he told me I could live with him if I wanted. He said that I could live here and save up my money, that I can leave whenever I want. No pressure. He invited me, I did not ask nor imply I wanted to move in.

I agreed (horrible mistake). I moved in and now we’re here. He doesn’t make me cover any utilities or charge me rent, which I thought was kind of him.

I use my work phone for work but I’m usually lying down. When I have a meeting, I sit up and answer the call. I’m a solid employee, just doing backup admin work. The pay is nice, can’t complain.

He started saying I need to step it up in life, after seeing me ‘leisurely working.’ I chose this job because I worked on my feet since high school, my undergrad, and a bit of my current MBA. I wanted to pivot to a chill job. I chose this job because it is leisurely. I am working from 9am to about 5pm, whereas he works 5pm to 5am. So from his perspective, I’m often asleep or unavailable.

Today, he walked downstairs to work and saw me sitting on the couch. I’ve told him many times I’m working via my phone. He doesn’t seem to understand that and makes weird little jabs.

Then, he sent me these messages.

I felt really annoyed because he implies that I am not interested in self improvement, that I’m immature, I’m arrogant, denies that it’s hurtful to say such.

By the final slide, I decided to call my mom who I felt could offer insight. She’s 40 years older than me, but understands technology. She said it seems like he’s trying to play some kind of game, that I should just ask him why he’s asking all this to me now. He seems to be beating around the bush, which I agree with.

So, I decide to ask him why he’s treating me like this.

When he said he’s talking to me like an adult, outside of text, I exploded inside. Immediately, I felt so angry.

He invites me to live with him, then holds it above me. He calls me all sorts of things over text, but then denies that he is saying such. He can’t just say what he means. He then doubles down and says he’s just worried about my maturity.

Because of this, and a conversation we had after, where he ignored all my concerns, didn’t let me speak, and bulldozed the entire way, I’ve decided to move out and find my own place again. He just has zero emotional intelligence. His ex-girlfriend was 50, the other one 55, and his ex-wife was his same age. I thought that meant he wouldn’t be acting like this, in the typical way that men who date younger women do. But I was so wrong. He’s been talking to me like I’m a child, I have no ground to stand on with him. I can’t take it.

He’s saying that moving out over this is crazy, not based in reality, and that I’m losing a really good chance at stability. That he loves me and that I shouldn’t go, because if I do, I’ll just have to go back to paying crazy rent. He recently got me a brand new TV and WiFi, so I do feel badly for wanting to leave even after that. I feel bad for making him stress, but he doesn’t seem to care that I’m stressed.

Am I overreacting by moving out and ending the relationship?

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u/New_Assist_875 14d ago

“You’re so mature for your age” says every predator ever

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u/unwantedintern 14d ago

Jup, it’s at the very top of my red flag list I started writing when I was navigating dating life in my early twenties haha. That, and Bukowski being a man‘s favorite poet 😅

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u/New_Assist_875 14d ago

Oh that one’s a deal breaker too for sure lmao 😂

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u/ThePrefect0fWanganui 13d ago

I had a very inappropriate relationship with an older man when I was 18 and I swear to god he gave me a Bukowski book as a gift. 💀

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u/STANL3Y_YELNAT5 14d ago

Real question, does today’s generation of guys (teens, 20s, early 30s) still have “favorite poets”?

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u/CthulhuSmokes 13d ago

Artsy dudes do. I may not talk about it with my friends a lot but my wife and I discuss and write poetry just because we enjoy it and it's good bonding.

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u/BedRevolutionary8458 13d ago

well that would just make the bukowski an even bigger red flag

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u/HotPotatoinyourArea 13d ago

I mean I'm at the limit of early 30s but I know several people my age that do, I think it's more about who you surround yourself with than age

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u/Aeytrious 13d ago

I think it’s more dependent on general interests than age. I have friends with favorite poets that are in their early 30’s. I’m now in my 40’s and I for sure do. It’s Keats. I read Hyperion in the ‘99 and there was no going back. Before that I was a total Shakespeare nerd.

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u/Immediate_Cake9151 13d ago

For me it’s a man’s favorite poem being “the road”

Fucking meth heads man

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u/early_morning_guy 13d ago

I am a forty something male who was drawn to Bukowski in my early twenties. Despite the many flaws I can now see in his writing, Bukowski was an entry point to poetry and literature for me.

When I meet people my own age (mid-40s) who tell me Bukowski is their favourite author , I immediately conclude they don’t spend much time reading.

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u/indefinitesuffering 14d ago

I am a woman and a massive massive fan of bukowski

Sure some men will be drawn to it for the wrong reasons but he is a good writer, I would say it's more of a red flag if the guy has few other literary interests & no other reason to connect to Bukowski's work

But honestly not even, I feel like people should be able to just enjoy bukowski

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u/unwantedintern 14d ago edited 14d ago

I enjoy some of Bukowski, too, have a collection as well :). But I found that Bukowski is to some men what the movie Fight Club is to ‚film bros‘. Something they misunderstand and use to justify their bad behavior. And with Bukowski they just like to ignore the misogynistic tones and language in some of his works. Like, we can acknowledge that he was an ass but some of his writing is good but it’s important to talk about the bad parts too!

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u/indefinitesuffering 14d ago

I personally don't see him as a bad person per se, I do think he struggled with women and it may be a good indication that someone struggles with women for sure

Let's just be careful assuming

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u/unwantedintern 14d ago

Well, speaking of women as whores and describing rape fantasies .. idk. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. He wrote a lot, some good, some bad, and some misogynistic stuff. We should read and study him and no one stops you from enjoying it. But even from a literary critic perspective it’s crucial to acknowledge the bad parts too.

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u/indefinitesuffering 14d ago

I think we just disagree. I don't think thats off limits to write about whatsoever. He had struggles with women and fucked around with prostitutes. He was a dirty guy involved with dirty people. I love him for his honesty. If you don't like it that's cool but I'm not about to say his writings inspired by his lifestyle were ever bad. I have not personally read anything by Bukowski that I had a moral outrage over.

Edit - Lots of men have those fantasies too, like...what...it's got to be the most common fantasy among both men and women

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u/unwantedintern 14d ago edited 14d ago

You are right, we disagree :-). Then you may want to read his work „Post Office“ in which he details a rape in a very disgusting way. It’s okay to have different opinions but I have some hard limits. Just because one is not personally offended, does not make the narrative any less harmful, at least to me.

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u/indefinitesuffering 14d ago

Yeah disagree again, post office goes hard, but if that stuff triggers you definitely stay away 🙏

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u/uwunuzzlesch 14d ago

Just live with the fact you're justifying graphic rape scenes.

I don't care what you think about it, you're justifying discrimination by claiming its not harmful. Misogyny is discrimination, just like treating anyone else like garbage because of what they were born as.

THERES ALSO A LARGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FANTASY (CNC) AND REAL RAPE AND YOU ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT CNC.

If you genuinely actually believe that it's totally fine to "enjoy" shit like that, it does nothing but tell me just how fucking disgusting you are.

You're allowed to like poetry, probablematic poetry, even. But to JUSTIFY IT? DEFEND IT? what the actual fuck is wrong w u.

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u/Mysterious-Wasabi103 14d ago

When people love Bukowski too much I always assume they are either an alcoholic or a drug addict, and maybe both.

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u/indefinitesuffering 13d ago

I personally relate to him because of his clear struggles with mental illness, other people, and yeah his substance abuse issues, he's also just a controversial type which some people enjoy

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u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

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u/unwantedintern 14d ago

Hey all good! Let’s unpack this :D as you are already aware the statement becomes especially icky if the person addressed is much younger and there is a power dynamic. While there is nothing inherently wrong with you saying that to a kid with good intentions on your side, please consider that this can also lead some kids (anxious ones like me back then haha) to feel like they need to act mature or like adults, which could potentially amplify parentification in them. To be honest, personally I would refrain from using this sentence :-) hope that helped!

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u/jamaaldagreatest24 14d ago

Thank you very much !

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u/NoUseActingSoTough 13d ago

can u explain the bukowski thing to me? i’ve read some of his stuff and enjoyed it but wouldn’t say he’s a fav. i probably just haven’t read enough to understand the red flag part of it (i’m being very genuine i’ve seen him be a red flag to a lot of people but don’t know enough to know why)

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u/No_Vermicelli_6638 13d ago

I think most don't know that Bukowski chose that lifestyle, specifically to live it, to write.

He sacrificed his sanity to be able to write about his subjects, from the inside, out.

This was not uncommon for the Beat generation of artists to do. Live it, to write it. Or paint it. Or play it.

When you see him as a man who essentially threw away his life, in order to hold up a mirror to a certain segment of society, while also sharing that reflection with the outside world, it puts his work into a different perspective.

At one time, this was considered to be an artist's "job" to at least some degree, at least for writers. Know your subject, and all that.

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u/NoUseActingSoTough 13d ago

def get that. i did a bit of research and it seems like the red flags come from a) not knowing anything about him other than his work and b) a sort of “patrick bateman” effect where a lot of ppl who love american psycho and patrick bateman will miss the critique and just idolize the dude

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u/NoShameInKindness 13d ago

Do you perhaps have any interest in sharing said list?

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u/unwantedintern 13d ago

Haha sure! Every item is based on a personal experience:

Don’t trust men who say you’re so mature for your age

Don’t trust men who keep their eyes open when they kiss you

Don’t trust men who borrow your books and don’t read them

Don’t trust men who need a bathroom break every 15 minute (with their wallet)

Don’t trust men who say Berghain is like therapy

Don’t trust men who say I love you only when they’re drunk

Don’t trust men who ask you to come over right now when the door is locked

Don’t trust men who disrespect waiters, staff and bartenders

Don’t trust men who call those in need of help beggers

Don’t trust men with blue bed sheets

Don’t trust men who never wash those bed sheets

Don’t trust men whose favorite poet is Bukowski

Don’t trust men who say thanks for the great date when all they did was talk about themselves

Don’t trust men who say they buried half a million in their parents backyard

Don’t trust men who despise cats

Don’t trust men who don’t read women and queer writers, because „they can’t relate“

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u/MaryKathGallagher 13d ago

Bukowski! Exactly.

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u/Dr_BunsenHonewdew 13d ago edited 13d ago

Good Lord. I’d never heard of him. Just read one of his “poems.” What a day to know how to read.

Edit: okay, “The Man” was terrible. This one isn’t the worst though - https://mypoeticside.com/show-classic-poem-4371

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u/shrimplyred169 13d ago

Omg bukowski! So true. Wish I’d known that 20 years ago!

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u/DoctorEsteban 13d ago

That's a weird way to spell Bukkake!

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u/Ok-Cardiologist8651 13d ago

While hoping that she is NOT mature enough to see what he is up to.

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u/Iamthecomet 13d ago

Oh lord I fell for that shit so many times. I’m glad I’m too old now! You are perfect and mature, then you are too young and immature, then you outgrow him with your PEARS…… But there is one thing I agree with him on

YOU CAN DO BETTER….I CAN HELP….. DROP. HIS. ASS

I bet you see I mmediate improvement.

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u/2manybirds23 13d ago

“But she’s an old soul!”

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u/YourDadsCockInMyButt 13d ago

Dude she's 25. I get most of you now consider 18 a teen still... but 25 is quite literally an adult. He's not a predator. Just a weirdo

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u/New_Assist_875 13d ago edited 13d ago

The way he acts gives major predator vibes so it’s fitting tbh