Putting The EVIL In Devil | Reading Reddit Stories

Smosh Reads Reddit Stories

In this episode of Smosh Reads Reddit Stories, host Shane and guests Angela and Chance dive into the theme 'Am I the Devil?' by exploring a

Key takeaways

• The episode highlights how people often project their emotional investment onto ideas, especially when those ideas are tied to personal identity or future dreams.

Main topics

• Emotional ownership of personal life plans
• The psychology of jealousy and idea theft

Notable quotes

"You're the devil for that." – On what small actions can feel like moral failings.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reflective discussion on how people often equate originality

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Thanks to DoorDash for sponsoring this episode. DoorDash makes showing up for the people you love easy. Needed that? Delivered. DoorDash. Order now. Hello and welcome to Smosh Reads Reddit Stories. I'm Shane and today's theme is Am I the Devil? That's right. These are the worst of the worst on Reddit. And I'm joined by two of the best. Oh, Speaker 3 (0:22) that was so sweet. That was nice. Expect that. Just kidding, we're the Speaker 1 (0:27) devil! Speaker 3 (0:31) I was wrong. Fuck the face. Fuck the face. You know what this is? You on a couch going, fuck the face. Speaker 2 (0:40) All right. I'm joined by Angela and Chance. If you couldn't tell already. How are we doing? Speaker 3 (0:47) Good, Shane. Thanks. We're Speaker 1 (0:49) good. Thanks, Shane. What Speaker 2 (0:52) in your eyes makes someone a devil? Like just on an everyday basis, right? Obviously murder. But like what's probably like the smallest thing like that like someone can do that you're just like, ugh. Speaker 1 (1:03) I'm trying to think. Okay, what's a bad thing or a small thing that's like a big thing for Speaker 3 (1:08) us? Speaker 1 (1:08) That I'm Speaker 3 (1:08) like, Speaker 2 (1:08) you're the devil for that. Speaker 3 (1:09) For me, a lot of the time it's fighting people who it's above their pay grade to fight. Oh. It's like. Oh. Like, you're fighting for things that the person can't really help you with. Like, customer service people, don't fight with them. Or, like, Speaker 2 (1:25) retail, Speaker 3 (1:26) restaurants, like, do not, like, leave them alone. I Speaker 2 (1:29) do think, like, people being rude to any service worker, that's such a, like, that is a, it's a very solid one. I'm just like, that's. Yeah. Clear, cut, and dry. And a lot of Speaker 3 (1:39) time it's their own problems in their own life that they're projecting on the other person. But people Speaker 2 (1:43) who project, like, they hurt people around them. And it shows that they don't view other people, like, they don't have the empathy for other people. Yeah. Speaker 1 (1:50) Maybe a where's my hug guy. Speaker 3 (1:52) Oh. He's like, thinks he deserves everything. Speaker 1 (1:55) Or I'm combining him with the you should smile. Speaker 2 (1:58) Oof. Speaker 1 (1:59) That's my devil. Speaker 2 (1:59) Yeah. People who expect things from other people. Yeah. Yeah. I've said many times, like, lying is to me, like, I just really, especially the more it gets to, like, because there's lying out of, like, fear of hurting someone, right? And that I can forgive. Like the people-pleasing Speaker 3 (2:17) lie? Yeah, Speaker 2 (2:17) but it's, like, it's people who truly, like, formulate consciously a lie. And I'm like, how do you do that? We've read so many stories where I'm like, that to me is, like, what cheating is, where I'm like, that's the bad part. Because I'm like, you're removing reality from someone. Yeah. And it's the more that that person's supposed to trust you and you do that to them. I'm like, you're the devil. No, that Speaker 1 (2:38) is so bad. I Speaker 2 (2:39) hate it. Speaker 1 (2:39) Making someone feel less than just to do that and to feel powerful to me is really bad. Speaker 2 (2:44) Let's move into our first am I the devil story. This first post was posted on am I the asshole and ended up on am I the devil. This was posted in July of this year, 2026. Am I the asshole for feeling bad that my marriage announcement was stolen? Speaker 3 (2:59) What? Speaker 2 (3:00) Whoa. So for years now, I've been saying that I don't want a wedding because they are so stressful and expensive and have so many traditions rooted in outdated beliefs. My alternative plan is to take my partner and my best friend, who is a photographer, to somewhere like Yellowstone National Park or Redwoods and get some really cool wedding photos. And then sending out cards to everyone saying, surprise, I'm married. Come celebrate with us at a reception. Back in May, it's currently July, I was at my friend's college graduation party, let's call her Sarah, and the topic of weddings came up. For context, the friend graduating is the same best friend who is a photographer and a mutual friend, Brittany, of ours, who we have both known for years, was part of the conversation. I told them about my idea to elope in the woods somewhere and surprise everyone with a reception, and Brittany thought it was hilarious. Flash forward to today, and I opened Facebook to see a post from Brittany saying, surprise, we're married. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with such a kind, loving, and gentle man. Huge thanks to Sarah for taking our pictures. P.S. We've been married for two months now. Hee hee. With a photo shoot done by Sarah. My first thought was WTF? Because that is exactly what I wanted to do and have been saying to people for years. She not only stole my idea, but used the exact same photographer and even the words I wanted to say. I texted Sarah, who I've been friends with for 15 years, and asked her about Brittany's situation. She said she came up with the idea because she didn't want a big wedding and asked Sarah to take the pictures. I said, you know I've been talking about doing that exact thing for years and that I literally mentioned it with Brittany and Sarah at Sarah's graduation party in May. Sarah said she doesn't think Britney meant to steal anything and it's really not that deep, especially since I'm single right now, so it will be a while before I'm thinking about marriage again anyways. I don't even want to talk to Britney about it because I don't want to rain on her happy moment and make it about me when she is celebrating her marriage. I feel so dumb and upset for talking about my plans that I was excited about, and it feels like now if I do this thing I've been wanting to do for years, it will look like I'm the one copying Britney and that's kind of shitty to do. in my opinion. So am I the asshole for being upset? Wait, who's the devil? So... Britney? No, Reddit deemed OP the asshole. What? Because... Because... Okay, that makes sense. Because she's single. She's saying, oh, I want to do this thing. And then her friend or someone she knows did the thing. Speaker 3 (5:28) It's also like it's tough to own an idea. Right. She's trying to copyright something she doesn't technically have copyright. This is also... I made whipped coffee. I made whipped coffee and made a video about it. Oh! Speaker 2 (5:40) You can't make whipped Speaker 3 (5:41) coffee. That was my idea. Speaker 2 (5:43) Well, what? How do you own that? What I'm hung up on immediately is that she's like, I'm single, but this is what I'm doing for my wedding. It's like, so your future partner gets no say whatsoever. Yeah. Like, you picked the verbiage. You picked the photographer. You picked the location and everything. And your partner, you're going to tell them that this is the plan? Yeah. Or are they going to have any say? Speaker 2 (6:10) Yeah, well, it's like if you are determined about some things like like I'm gonna like if you at a certain point are going I'm gonna elope. That's my plan I don't want a wedding but it's like you're gonna have to find someone who agrees on that but it's kind of like you're you're literally saying like I make the decision on everything but I I don't know. This is just kind of like funny to me. I Speaker 1 (6:31) know I find it like funny and a little young Yeah, Speaker 3 (6:35) I don't know how old OP Speaker 1 (6:36) is. Speaker 3 (6:36) I ordered that. You can't order that, too. Yeah. I Speaker 1 (6:39) will say, growing up, I was very sensitive about being copied. I think it was having a younger brother that, like, anytime I wanted to do something, or I remember I had a friend that would copy everything I did, and it bothered me so deeply. And I was, like, in middle school or elementary school, and I remember it was, like, me finally starting to, like, have, like, individuality. Like I was like, oh, I really like this type of T-shirt or I really like this type of thing. And then someone would be like, that's mine. And then I would get so sensitive over it. And then it became like, I'm talking young me, really. And then I would be like, well, I want this. And it's somebody just struggling to like feel like they're going to lose something because they're putting their identity in like an idea. Yeah. It's like, it's okay. Right. Speaker 2 (7:27) No one's, Speaker 1 (7:28) no one's. You, like, having the same kind of wedding as somebody else or announcement, does it make you less than? Does it make, you know what I mean? It's, like, very limiting beliefs is what it feels like. Speaker 2 (7:39) Yeah, your proposal, engagement, wedding, like, that's really truly supposed to feel and be about you and the person you love. Like, that's what matters. And people who get, like, her, who's not even in a relationship, is so wrapped up in the idea. idea of a thing more than the actual reality of the thing. I thought as I was reading it at first that it was like, oh, she's with someone she's going to get married like in the next few months. And I was like, oh, shit, if they did that right before, like you were about to do a thing, that sucks. But now it's like, oh, this thing that you're saying you're going to do eventually and you're telling people like this is my plan to do someday. And Speaker 3 (8:14) I guess using the same photographer that you wanted to use kind of sucks. Yeah. Speaker 2 (8:18) You're in the Speaker 3 (8:18) same Speaker 2 (8:19) friend group. And it's Speaker 3 (8:19) like. Speaker 2 (8:20) So it's like. That's also your friend who's a photographer. So it's like. Why would I not? Speaker 1 (8:24) That's awesome. We got both of our favorite photographer work. Speaker 2 (8:27) Yes, exactly. Yeah, I don't know. It's kind of like, because like so many of Courtney and I's photos were taken by Brennan. Yeah. And that's like if anyone else at Smosh was like, well, Brennan took our wedding photos. And we were like, what the fuck? Speaker 3 (8:39) Yeah. How fucking Speaker 2 (8:40) dare Speaker 3 (8:40) you? It's like our, sorry, our Speaker 2 (8:42) director of photography. It's like, well, yeah, but fuck you. Speaker 3 (8:46) And also like, there's this expression, a candle loses nothing from lighting another candle. Yeah. It's like there's just more light now. But that is Speaker 1 (8:54) literally, I go back to like childhood because I think when you're a kid, you think like when things need to be shared or something. But like as an adult. This has no effect on you. Not on OP. Like, this couldn't matter less. And you're not, like, finding your voice on the playground. You're not, like, and this isn't something special to you and your partner because said partner doesn't exist yet. Yes. Like, it's like, I don't Speaker 3 (9:16) even know. Speaker 1 (9:16) And you're caring Speaker 3 (9:17) so much about what other people think. You're like, Speaker 2 (9:20) oh, well, they're going to think I copied Speaker 3 (9:21) our other friend. It's like, dude. Okay. It's like Speaker 2 (9:24) five months from now, everyone's going to have forgotten. Like, they're going to move on and think. Like, wedding invitations do all have a similar vibe to them. There's nothing wrong with that. Yeah. It's like... It's childish. You know, yeah. Like, I don't know. It is a little silly. The top comment is, wait, you're single? That's funny. 1,000 upvotes. Someone said, you're the asshole. You've not invented the wheel. Someone got married in a wood where thousands of others have done. Perhaps if it was such a secret and a private ambition, you shouldn't have told everyone. Someone said, you're the asshole. I was kind of with you until you mentioned you're still single. It's like friends slash relatives stealing a baby name from someone who's not even pregnant. By the time you'll get married, many people will either barely remember or be open to dialogue where you can subtly mention it being your idea first. That being said, I don't think it's the most original and unique thing to begin with. More and more couples elope, announce it via social media, and throw a reception party afterwards. It happens. Yeah, this is not some, it's like, oh, you're getting married in the woods. Whoa. It's like, it's Speaker 3 (10:27) a Speaker 2 (10:27) really cool thing, but that's a Speaker 3 (10:28) thing. Wait, Speaker 2 (10:28) didn't Speaker 3 (10:28) you Speaker 2 (10:28) do that? We didn't get married in the woods, but we got, we did, we did kind of announce it on social media. And then you had a reception. And then we did that later, yeah. But a lot of other people I know did that. Speaker 3 (10:40) That's a normal, and you're not mad about that. No, and Speaker 2 (10:43) we got married at a place, at a, we got married in Santa Barbara because I had other friends who, including Amanda, who had done it. And they were like, it's amazing, it's beautiful. And we're like, great, we'll do that. I know Speaker 1 (10:53) so many friends that have gotten married at that courthouse. It's Speaker 2 (10:55) just like, yeah. And when I, one of my friends who'd gotten married there, he was part of the reason because I was like, oh, I hear it's gorgeous. He's like, oh, you got married there too? He's like, that makes me so happy that you guys did that too. That's incredible. Like, I don't know. It's just kind of beautiful. Speaker 3 (11:10) And Speaker 2 (11:10) what Speaker 3 (11:10) would be weird— It's Speaker 2 (11:11) like, Speaker 3 (11:11) I got baptized at that church. You can't get baptized at that church, too. You can't get baptized there, Speaker 2 (11:15) too. Oh. What I also—I guess what I'm also—I like to give OP a little bit of empathy is, like, I guess I just get, like, you're just like, fuck, this person's doing the thing that I fantasize about. I think it goes back Speaker 1 (11:29) to an insecurity where like she doesn't have that. Speaker 2 (11:31) Right. But if I was her friend, I'd be like, she didn't steal that from you. You still get to do that completely. And Speaker 1 (11:38) it doesn't make it less than. You will get to Speaker 2 (11:39) do that and more, whatever you want. But also keep in mind, you're going to be with a partner who's also going to have feelings and dreams as well. So just keep that, find the compromise there. If this friend was going around going, yeah, this was my idea. And I just, I can't believe I'm so freaking smart. It's like, okay, you can be like, hey, I. I think I threw that idea out there, but overall, she's making a bigger Speaker 3 (12:00) deal than it needs to be. It's like, Speaker 1 (12:02) yeah. Speaker 3 (12:03) I agree. Great. Moving on. Our next. Angela, look at this. I discovered this yesterday. Check this out. Speaker 1 (12:14) Does it sit? Isn't that so cool? Speaker 1 (12:19) It was a different Reddit episode? Speaker 3 (12:21) It was a Speaker 2 (12:21) different Reddit. It was with Spencer. It was the best episode we've ever done. Yeah. Speaker 1 (12:26) I'm going to find something cooler to do with this pillow. Next story. Speaker 2 (12:29) I can't wait to see. This episode of Reddit Stories is sponsored by DoorDash. Recently, a good friend of mine was having one of those days where they weren't feeling 100%. The combo of work stress, health, mercury and retrograde, you name it. But I remembered that they mentioned how whenever they're feeling low, ramen is their go-to pickup meal. That night after work, I ordered ramen from DoorDash and made sure it would be there for them the moment they got home. We all know the last thing you want to do is make dinner after a tough day. I mean, I know I don't. You're drained. You have nothing left. And so... I thought I'd take that off their plate. Wouldn't you know, my friend called me later that night saying the ramen hit the spot and that they really appreciated me taking the time to think about them. And for me, it just felt good being there for my friend. DoorDash is a great way to give someone you love a little extra something. Maybe it's from their favorite restaurant or maybe it's medicine when they aren't feeling well. Either way, DoorDash makes showing up for the people you love easy. Needed that? Delivered. DoorDash. Order now. Back to the show. Speaker 3 (13:30) Our next story was posted on Speaker 2 (13:32) Am I the Asshole? And then on to Am I the Devil? Back in... It's Speaker 1 (13:36) a bracelet. Speaker 2 (13:38) Shit. Oh, wow. That's really cool. She kind of nailed that. Speaker 3 (13:42) This was posted on Am I the Asshole? Clearing the throat. Not a single laugh, but a clearing the throat. Speaker 1 (13:48) It's a bracelet. Speaker 3 (13:50) I hope we got that on the audio. Our Speaker 2 (13:53) next story was posted on Am I the Asshole? And then ended up on Am I the Devil? This was posted yesterday. Yeah! So that means it ended up on Am I the Devil very fast. Speaker 2 (14:04) Am I the asshole for not wanting to stay behind with our son while my wife goes to a wedding in China? Speaker 3 (14:10) Oh. Speaker 1 (14:11) Well, where do you want to go? Speaker 2 (14:13) China? To the wedding, too. Yeah, but your son. Oh. My wife and I are traveling to China with our one-year-old son. While we're there, she has a friend's wedding a few hours away from her parents' home. I assumed I would be going with her as her husband. However, her cousin apparently booked a hotel room for my wife and her friend a long time ago. My wife says she doesn't want her cousin to pay for another room because it would be expensive, but regardless, she expects me to stay behind with our son at her parents' house as one of his parents should be there. I have no problem looking after my son, but I feel uncomfortable being left there without my wife. I barely speak any Chinese beyond... Hello, no, and okay. And her parents don't speak English. I would be in an unfamiliar country, unable to properly communicate with anyone while my wife is several hours away. When I raised my concerns, she said someone has to look after our son. I understand that, but I thought we would work out a plan together. Either attend as a family, arrange suitable accommodation, or find another option. Instead, it feels like the existing hotel booking matters more than including me or considering how isolated I would feel. I'm not trying to stop her from attending her friend's wedding. I'm just upset that, as her husband, I'm expected to stay behind and feel stranded with no real ability to communicate. As her husband, should I not be there at a wedding with her? They've never even seen me for the first time. Am I the asshole for not wanting to agree to this arrangement? I'm not sure, but I feel annoyed about it. Oh my God, dude. They've never even met me. I should go so I can meet Speaker 3 (15:46) them for the first time in the most important day of their Speaker 2 (15:48) life. Yeah. I don't want to hang out with her stupid parents. Yeah. Or my stupid son. My stupid, stupid son. You can't Speaker 3 (15:55) even Speaker 2 (15:55) talk. My Speaker 3 (15:56) son doesn't even speak Speaker 2 (15:57) English. I can't Speaker 3 (15:58) even figure Speaker 1 (15:59) this shit out. Speaker 3 (15:59) What Speaker 1 (15:59) am I going to Speaker 3 (16:00) do all day? Speaker 1 (16:02) Has this man ever met like a woman? Period. Like a millennial woman or a gen... Why? Because he's going to be really disappointed when he learns there's millions and millions of women that were told to stay home with their kids. Speaker 3 (16:21) Oh, yeah. That's true. Speaker 1 (16:22) I'm like, in what world do you think that it's out of the ordinary that one parent has to stay behind and do childcare? Speaker 3 (16:32) In what world? I guess it's that he's in a different Speaker 2 (16:35) country and can't speak Chinese. He's saying he feels isolated. But I'm like, Speaker 3 (16:38) it was posted yesterday. Girl, you got Google on your phone? Speaker 2 (16:41) Uh-huh. You Speaker 3 (16:42) got Google Translate. You can translate. I'm also a little bit, I guess like. Put your AirPod in, talk to Siri and get your translation out in two seconds. I Speaker 2 (16:49) just. It's once again, he's allowed to be like, oh, like I feel a little nervous. I feel a little like. Talk to her about being like, I feel nervous that I don't speak. But he's not really talking from a place of like, oh, I'm concerned. He's more talking from like, I'm upset. No, that's what I'm picking up Speaker 1 (17:02) on. Speaker 2 (17:02) I'm Speaker 1 (17:03) here Speaker 2 (17:03) that I'm mad. And I'm like, I'm not trusting this feeling. Yes. But I'm also like, you married someone whose family speaks a different language from a different culture. And you're here now in their country and you didn't learn more than hello, okay, and no. No, Speaker 1 (17:19) I agree with you. I could be putting some misogyny on the air. But it was the like, she shouldn't go to that wedding without me. There was some sentence like that in there. Like, they don't even know. Shouldn't she Speaker 3 (17:29) go with her husband? Speaker 1 (17:31) Yeah, there was a little bit of that and a little. And I don't know. I, like, I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but I feel as if this couple hasn't spent their kid's entire life always together. Yeah. Speaker 2 (17:43) Like, Speaker 1 (17:43) there has to have been a time where she's taken the kid. So this makes me think that he has never been alone to take care of the kid by himself. I don't know. Speaker 2 (17:52) I don't know. I'm jumping to conclusions. Because Speaker 1 (17:54) I do agree with you. It also does read like he's nervous to be alone in the country. Speaker 2 (17:59) And that's a valid feeling. But I think if he's really there, it's like you can talk to your wife about you're feeling nervous and stuff. But like that's... Here's what I will say. It did sound like Speaker 3 (18:09) he was expecting to go to the wedding and so was she. And she said, oh... actually there's not room when he's already in the country. I would be disappointed too if I was going to China for a wedding and then I didn't get to go to the wedding, I Speaker 2 (18:25) would be upset. Well, they Speaker 1 (18:26) didn't go for the wedding. It sounds like they were there. So Speaker 2 (18:28) he starts it off, my wife and I are traveling to China with our one-year-old son. While we're there, she has a friend's wedding a few hours away from her parents' home. So I think they- It doesn't sound like- I don't think they were going for the wedding. No, Speaker 1 (18:39) it Speaker 2 (18:39) sounds like they're going to visit her Speaker 1 (18:40) parents. Speaker 2 (18:41) I would hope that OP, if that was the full context, would write, We traveled here with the intention of this, Speaker 3 (18:47) but he's not Speaker 1 (18:47) giving us that info. And also, I'm