Weaponized incompetence is all too common in relationships, but it may become less of a pervasive issue if we all responded to the trend with the same malicious compliance demonstrated by TikToker Molly Norton.
It’s entirely reasonable to lean on your partner for help with all kinds of things, but there are certain tasks that should be handled personally. The occasional chore, driving duty, and even errands are all entirely acceptable duties to push off on your partner once in a while, but perhaps we should stick to purchasing gifts for family members ourselves.
After all, we don’t all have the same relationships with our parents, siblings, and grandparents. Buying a heartfelt gift isn’t all that challenging a task, and it means a lot to the person receiving it. So, when Norton’s boyfriend shrugged off his familial duty and tapped his girlfriend to step in, she made sure to teach him a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget.
The culmination of her glorious display of malicious compliance is contained within a hilarious 32-second video. After her boyfriend tapped Norton to purchase a birthday gift for her grandmother’s big day, she seized the opportunity to educate him on etiquette.
So, rather than buying up a nice candle or some knitting needles for granny, Norton stuffed a box full of racy, lacy thongs for the family matriarch to unpack. And the resulting video, as the family erupts into laughter and the soul leaves her boyfriend’s body, is utterly priceless.
It’s all but guaranteed that Norton’s boyfriend won’t be making the same mistake again. The horror of what he’s wrought is written all over his face as Grandma flashes the slinky underoos to the surrounding family members, and it’s clear Norton doesn’t feel an ounce of regret.
Grandma was quick to offer up the slinky gifts to other, younger, members of the family, but there’s something to be said for gifting such necessary items. The average person spends a fair bit on underwear each year, with women statistically spending more than their male counterparts. The largest percentage of men will spend between $16 and $30 on underwear in an average year — though inflation likely shifts that number a bit higher — while women are likely to spend far more varying amounts. The most the average woman will spend on underwear spikes upward of $150 annually, which makes a free set of unmentionables a solid gift-giving idea.
But you should probably know your audience before you pack a box full of spicy selections, something Norton’s boyfriend is now well aware of. As are commenters, who couldn’t be more tickled over the prank, and a fair few of them felt it was justice well served. Maybe next time he’ll do the shopping for himself, rather than shoving the task off to his girlfriend.