When 'Just Pick Something' Goes Wrong: The Date Night Malicious Compliance That Broke Reddit
Relationships are supposed to be about compromise, communication, and sometimes, a little bit of harmless fun. But what happens when a simple request—“just pick something for date night”—turns into an epic saga of minor league baseball, board games, and a whole lot of Reddit outrage? Strap in, because this is the story of one boyfriend’s malicious compliance that left a relationship (and the internet) reeling.
It starts, as so many internet tales do, with an age-old couple’s argument: one person always plans the dates, the other shrugs and says, “Whatever you want is fine.” But when the planner finally has enough and insists her boyfriend pick the next date without input, well, let’s just say she got more than she bargained for.
The Setup: When Taking Initiative Backfires
Our protagonist’s friend had been in a two-year relationship where, according to the Reddit post, his girlfriend always handled date night plans—and quietly simmered about it. Tired of being the sole social director, she demanded a new rule: every other date night, he had to plan, she’d have no input, and (crucially) “zero complaints” about whatever he chose.
Cue the boyfriend’s first ever solo date plan: a minor league baseball game. Picture it—cheap seats, hotdogs, the crack of the bat, and one profoundly unimpressed girlfriend. As the OP described, her face said it all: “someone who ordered pasta and got a bowl of plain noodles.” She didn’t complain, but the silence was deafening. The boyfriend? He was loving every minute of it.
Reddit, predictably, exploded.
Reddit Reacts: From Weaponized Incompetence to Relationship Red Flags
The story landed on r/MaliciousCompliance and commenters didn’t hold back. The highest upvoted responses saw the boyfriend’s actions less as “initiative” and more as a thinly veiled act of defiance. u/sassy-sarcasm summed up the consensus: “That's weaponized incompetence, and he deserves to be single.” Another, u/LittleTatoCakes, called it out: “That’s not MC. That’s just being an AH. I hope she dumps his ass soon.”
But why so much heat? Several top commenters pointed out that the girlfriend’s intent was clear: she wanted to feel valued, to share the effort, and to enjoy something together. Instead, as u/Royal_Negotiation_91 observed, “She was putting effort into planning dates they would both enjoy and wanted him to do the same. Instead he punished her for asking him to make an effort by choosing a date he knew she would not enjoy and reveling in her displeasure.”
Others, like u/Ill-Faithlessness430, debated if this was truly “malicious compliance” or just “being a low effort wanker.” The term “weaponized incompetence”—when someone pretends not to know how to do something to avoid responsibility—was lobbed repeatedly. u/0Korvin0 called it a “textbook case of weaponized incompetence,” noting that he did the planning, but “deliberately picked something she wouldn't like to make her regret asking him to step up.”
And for anyone hoping for a moment of self-awareness? Nope. The boyfriend reportedly still laughs about her baseball face, and the OP cheerfully notes, “She brought it on herself honestly.” Ouch.
Is There a Silver Lining? Or Just More Awkward Dates?
Not everyone agreed the boyfriend was a villain. A minority of commenters, like u/MadmanDan_13, argued that trying new things—even if they flop—is part of relationships: “He tries taking her to a baseball game, which she doesn't like, and I assume he won't take her again. Then he takes her to a board game cafe that she does like. She now has one new date type she likes, and one they know not to do again.”
But the context matters. As u/TheDisapprovingBrit insightfully put it, “It's totally fine to take her to something that you enjoy… But context matters, and the context here is that this is his first attempt at planning a date that she'll like. And in that context, taking a woman who is vocally not a fan of sports to a sports game is a clear ‘f*** you’ to her request that he be more involved in the planning.”
The story does have a minor twist: the next date was a board game café, which she enjoyed and is now part of their rotation. Maybe there’s hope? Or maybe, as u/OutrageousRhubarb853 suggested, someone should “screenshot this post and all the comments so he can learn the lesson when she dumps him for the next guy.”
The Real Lesson: Communication, Not Compliance
If there’s a takeaway (besides “don’t take your non-sports-loving partner to a baseball game and then cackle about it”), it’s that relationships run on communication, not just compliance. As u/Impossible_Tonight81 wisely noted, “She hoped he cared about her enough to plan a date for them both to enjoy. The disappointing thing is that he turns out to actually dislike her.”
The “just pick something” gambit is a familiar battleground, but it’s a trap for both sides. As u/Meauxterbeauxt joked, “If I plan a date wholly on my own, the chances of me getting it completely wrong, no matter how much thought, love, and effort I put into it, it will be a crappy date. Communication and lower expectations is what will win the day.”
Or, as one thread suggested, maybe just take turns and use a game to pick places—because nothing kills romance faster than weaponized silence and passive-aggressive hotdogs.
Conclusion: Whose Turn Is It, Anyway?
So, is this a lesson in standing up for yourself, or a cautionary tale in how not to treat your partner? Maybe a bit of both. The Reddit hive mind has spoken: next time you’re told “just pick something,” remember it’s not really about the activity—it’s about showing you care.
What’s your best or worst date night story? Ever been on the receiving end of “malicious compliance”? Share your tales of romantic misadventure below—because if there’s one thing Reddit loves more than a hot take, it’s a disastrous date night.
Let the debate begin!
Original Reddit Post: My friend's girlfriend told him to 'just pick something' for their date night and then deeply regretted it