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Did Ross cheat on Rachel in Friends?
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this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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Ross's arc is learning to trust again, and the copy girl was a big part of that.
When the show begins, he's recently divorced from his wife, the mother of his child, who has not only been cheating on him, but hiding a huge part of who she was. It's played for laughs, but Ross has massive insecurity issues throughout the show, repeatedly putting women on pedestals and engaging in absurd displays of jealousy and peacocking.
Rachel was the ultimate prize, the one he's always wanted, and getting her turned out to be an actual relationship with all of its ups and downs. He was beginning to see Rachel as a person instead of aome external validation that he's a worthwhile man and partner. Taking a "break" massively undercut his ability to manage his insecurities, so when copy girl flirted with him, it was like an awakening. He wanted her, he was unattached, and she wanted him. He knew it would upset Rachel, but he was angry and hurt and didn't care about her feelings in that moment.
His arc finally landed when he fell asleep reading her letter and unknowingly took full responsibility for their issues as a couple. Old Ross, recently divorced Ross, might have bit his tongue and taken the abuse because he felt inadequate, unworthy of Rachel. Post copy girl Ross realized that he is good enough as he is, flaws and all.
He knows he hurt Rachel, and he regrets his decisions, but he sticks up for himself and insists she accept her share of the blame. He wants a relationship, but one built on trust and mutual respect. Rachel is off the pedestal, and it takes a while for them to come back around (I honestly don't remember the timeline for later seasons).
Totally agreed re:Ross, but knowing you've hurt someone doesn't make the person you hurt "right." My point is that Rachel was wrong to be upset and it makes total sense that Ross hooked up with that girl when Rachel had just broken up with him.
Rachel goes from being a grown child to bring an adult over the series, and at this point she responds like a teenage girl, not like a grown woman.
Def agreed on everything you wrote though
Right and wrong aren't viable concepts in a relationship. It's not a competition, and there is no winner or loser.
Ross was not thinking about Rachel's feelings when he slept with the copy girl. That's why it hurt. She grows as a person, but it still feels like a betrayal, and it takes her accepting some of the responsibility for taking Ross for granted. She's still hurt, and so is he, but they (eventually) reconcile because it's TV and viewers want a happy ending.
In reality, people grow and change and compromise, and most people know more than 5 other people so there isn't "the one" in the end. You find someone that supports you, inspires you, makes you better, and is someone for whom you can do the same. Those are the best relationships. Sex is a part of that, but everyone has different perceptions of sex, how important it is, what dangly bits fit into which holes, and ideally how many concurrent participants are involve. Being compatible means understanding your partner's ideas on the subject, and I think Ross knew the limits of Rachel's tolerance, given that he lied about his decisions.
What I've learned from your deep, insightful assessment here is that we should probably never date lol
Love your take, but I disagree quite strongly with "right and wrong aren't viable concepts" and "there is no 'the one'"
I did very much enjoy reading your opinion tho and you have a good head on your shoulders.