The Internet’s New Relationship Counselor, Apparently
So, Matt, 27, and Abby, 26, are sitting there, on their podcast, on a Wednesday, January 21st, talking about how their own fans are basically acting as marriage counselors – but, like, the really aggressive, “burn it all down” kind of counselors. And Abby? She giggles. Giggles! She says, “Well, that’s how you know that it’s so baseless. You’re a rockstar husband, like, you’re an amazing husband.” And then Matt, because, you know, chivalry or whatever, agrees she’s an “amazing wife” too. Cute. But also, kinda wild, right?
The thing is, this isn’t some random troll with nothing better to do. Matt explicitly says it’s “comments or ‘like’ on a comment.” That means a whole bunch of people are seeing these suggestions for divorce and going, “Yeah, I agree with that. Give it a heart.” What the actual heck? Who cares enough about someone else’s marriage – someone they only know through curated snippets on their phone – to actively tell them to break up?
Who Are These Kids, Anyway?
For the uninitiated, Matt and Abby are pretty big deal influencers. Young couple, doing the whole family life thing, babies, vlogs, podcasts. They’re basically selling a lifestyle, a look into their relationship. And you know, a lot of people buy into it. They follow, they watch, they get invested. But there’s a line, isn’t there? A pretty important one, actually.
Is Your Relationship Public Property Now?
This whole situation makes me want to pull my hair out, honestly. When did we decide that because someone shares their life online, their private relationships become a public forum for dissolution? Matt thinks their followers get “frustrated.” Frustrated with what? With seeing a normal, messy, human relationship play out? Because if you’re frustrated enough to tell someone to divorce, that’s a whole other level of engagement. That’s not just “I don’t like their content anymore.” That’s “I think you should end your legal, personal bond with another human.”
“If I had a dollar for every comment or ‘like’ on a comment for people that told you to leave me, I would have a lot of dollars.”
I mean, I get it. Influencers put themselves out there. They invite comments, they build communities. But traditionally, those communities are built around support, or shared interests, or maybe even gentle critique. Not, you know, urging someone to call a lawyer. It’s like watching a reality show and then emailing the network demanding the stars get a divorce because you don’t like how one of them loads the dishwasher. Except, these are real people. With real lives. And real feelings, presumably.
The Deeply Unsettling Implications
Here’s what’s actually interesting, and kinda scary, about this. We’re seeing the full, unvarnished, and frankly, unhinged, implications of parasocial relationships. People feel like they know Matt and Abby. They feel invested. They probably see their own relationships, or lack thereof, reflected in what Matt and Abby share. And when something doesn’t align with their expectations, or their ideal, or even just what they think they’re seeing through a screen, they react. And sometimes, that reaction is extreme.
It’s a weird power dynamic, too. Matt and Abby literally make money off of people watching them. So, in a way, they’re beholden to their audience. But does that mean the audience gets to dictate the fundamental structure of their family? Their marriage? It’s a slippery slope, if you ask me. What’s next? Do fans get to pick their kids’ names? Decide where they live? It sounds absurd, but the line gets blurrier every day.
And what does this do to Matt and Abby? They’re young. They’re navigating a public life, parenthood, and probably all the usual stressors of marriage. To have this constant chorus of people telling one of you to bail? That’s gotta mess with your head, right? Even if Abby says it’s “baseless,” that kind of noise is insidious. It plants seeds. It makes you second-guess. It turns everyday disagreements into potential evidence for the online jury.
What This Actually Means
This isn’t just about some TikTok couple and their weird fans. This is about us. All of us. It’s about how we consume content, how we engage with people we don’t really know, and the expectations we place on others who choose to share their lives. We’ve created a culture where people feel entitled to weigh in on the most intimate details of strangers’ lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.
I think it means we, as the audience, need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Are we watching for entertainment, or are we actively participating in the deconstruction of someone’s life? And for the influencers out there? Well, this is the double-edged sword, isn’t it? You invite them in, you build a brand around your life, and sometimes, that audience decides they know better than you do about your own darn marriage. It’s not entirely clear yet where this all goes, but I gotta tell you, the idea of an internet-mandated divorce? That’s a new kind of messed up, even for me.
