7 Highly Controversial ‘Am I the Jerk?’ Reddit Stories That Will Make You Question Your Moral Compass – Who’s Really at Fault? (4 of 4)

6. The Employee’s Tragic Story

A VP at a software company took to Reddit to share a story about a 22-year-old employee who had lost both of his parents in a car accident. He had been given a month of paid leave to grieve his loss, and when he returned, it was clear he was still extremely shaken up. Previously one of the most productive members of the team, he was now lacking motivation, sometimes taking weeks before returning calls to clients. As a result, they decided to cut him loose. A very small number of Redditors took the VP’s side, pointing out that businesses have to make decisions that are best for their bottom line, but there was a major consensus that the company was in the wrong and should have been more patient and supportive of a young employee who was now without a father and mother.

7. The Inherited Land

When the user’s grandfather died, he left several acres of land that included a fishing pond, hunting grounds, and a cottage to the rest of the family with the hope that they would continue to use it for another generation. However, while half of the family wanted to keep it in the family, the other half – including the Reddit user themself – believed it made most sense to sell the land since they’d make a lot of money and weren’t outdoorsy types anyway. Left with a choice of either having to buy out that half of the land themselves or share it with complete strangers, the side of the family in favor of keeping the land grudgingly sold their half as well, leading to a rift that still hasn’t healed. Although some of the respondents felt the grandfather’s wishes should have been granted, most agreed that if the “keep it” side of the family wanted it so badly, they could have taken out a loan to buy out the “sell it” side.