Online communities can be really empowering because of the knowledge and interactions.

But when it starts replacing a real life, some hard questions need to be asked.

See why this man is concerned about his wife.

AITA for being frustrated that my wife spends hours on a private day trading subreddit

My wife got into day trading about a year ago.

At first it was kind of cool.

She’d talk about stocks and seemed really excited about learning something new.

But things escalated when she got accepted into this private, invite only subreddit that she calls “a game changer.”

It’s pretty hardcore.

From what I understand, it’s a small, exclusive community of “serious” day traders with its own Discord, trading signals, live chats and what not.

Here’s the thing: being in this subreddit apparently comes with a comment quota.

She has to post or comment a certain number of times per week or she’ll get booted.

The mod enforces this like it’s a job.

So now my wife spends hours every day typing up market analysis posts, responding to other members’ trades, and debating obscure stock movements with strangers who refer to each other by acronyms like “S.T.R.A.T.” or “DD Alpha.”

Half the time she’s got two screens going, one for trading, one for Reddit.

I feel like I have to schedule an appointment just to talk to her.

We’ve skipped dinners, postponed weekend plans, and once she even took a Zoom call with another trader in the car while we were on a road trip.

I’ve told her that this subreddit seems to be eating up all her time and energy and she says I’m being unsupportive and “don’t understand the culture.”

But they’re not not seeing eye to eye.

She insists the comment quota is “motivational” and helps people stay active and sharp.

I tried to explain that it’s not the trading that bothers me, it’s the fact that a Reddit mod she’s never met dictates how she spends her time and it’s hurting our relationship.

She accused me of trying to “control her passions” and now she’s giving me the cold shoulder.

I get that people need hobbies, even intense ones, but this feels less like a hobby and more like a cult with a portfolio.

AITA for pushing back on it?

Here is what people are saying.

Exactly and time involved doesn’t mean she’s actually good at it.

Exactly. It’s easy to see the return from this, factoring time in as a cost.

Definitely either a scam or a cult. Maybe both. “Private” so it can’t be traced easily.

Definitely. I’d be worried.

Do all of this. Now.

This doesn’t look good.

For anyone involved, to be honest.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.