So the latest viral video is a project produced by The Scene in which two ex's talk to each other about cheating. In this scenario, the young woman named Kourtney asked her ex, Leonard, why he cheated on her and the rest of the conversation unfolds from there. I won’t say more because you have to watch it. So don’t read any farther before watching the video above.
As the video begins, I start to wonder how much of it may be scripted and what is actually genuine. Yet, after Kourtney starts to speak, I see the heartbreak in her eyes that feels all too familiar (of course, she could just be an amazing actress). Right away, Kourtney asks Leonard what he did and he responds very honestly that he cheated many times, that he slept with a lot of other girls-ouch. The exes then proceed to give a short story of how they met and it’s sweet. They claimed that they were each other’s best friends and at this point of the video, my heart starts to hurt. It’s a genuine conversation and it’s amazing to see how innocent most relationships start even in today’s chaotic dating scene. They keep talking and Kourtney recounts a day where she found Leonard in his room with a girl and he had told her to get out. Seriously, what the fuck?!?!? They’re not clear on whether they were already together at this point but either way, dude, that’s some mean shit.
The part that hit me the hardest though was how Leonard asked her why she didn’t leave when she knew that he was cheating and didn’t trust him. She responds saying that she was stupid but the audience can feel and hear the real answer that’s implied--that she didn’t leave because she loved him. Leonard admits that he never really wanted to commit, and Kourtney sits there tearing up with all these punches she’s taking. It’s heartbreaking to see how toxic a relationship can become and how tough it is for those who get cheated on.
Kourtney is very forgiving but this video gives a glimpse into the dynamic of millennial dating. Two people start as friends, one is usually not ready to commit but does it anyway because the other person believes they can change them--they can lock them down. I’ve always been a firm believer that you shouldn’t try to change anyone and it’s rude to even try. I know it sounds like I’m blaming Kourtney but I’m not. I know exactly what she’s feeling because I got cheated on too and it shattered me. I, like Kourtney, stayed friends with him but it became too painful and toxic to my well-being. I understand why she thought she could make him commit or at least have the hope of having him commit. You fall for someone and you can probably already see the ending before it even begins but you feel so connected to them, they become your best friend, and you can’t help but want to give it a chance.
It’s a genuine video and we all may react to it differently but I saw two people who did care about each other. Like Kourtney said, she doesn’t think Leonard is a bad guy for what he did and I agree with her. Was it a horrible thing to do? Yes, definitely. He made a mistake, multiple actually and I think the worst mistake was not ending it with Kourtney after cheating on her multiple times, he was just causing her more pain. Leonard has spoken out after the video in an interview saying that he learned his lesson and all he can do now is make sure he doesn’t do it again in the future. I don’t know if he’s being genuine, but I like to think that some people can learn from their mistakes.
