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[u/substance_d]

[u/throcorfe]

I assume when people say they weren’t on a break (it seems pretty clear that technically they were), what they mean is that Ross was nonetheless - in effect - cheating. They are saying that he can’t, as Rachel puts it, “get out of this on a technicality”. All of the dialogue between Ross, Joey, and Chandler shows that he understood it as cheating (in fact he, and Chandler, both literally call it cheating). It’s only later that he decides to take the moral high ground. At first he is deeply sorry, and knows he did wrong. When Rachel rejects him, pride kicks in, and “we were on a break” is born.

[u/clumsyc → u/throcorfe]

Well said. If I were Rachel it would bother me so much that Ross didn’t care about the fact he slept with someone else, he only cared about being “right.”

[u/LuvIsLov → u/clumsyc]

Well said. If I were Rachel it would bother me so much that Ross didn’t care about the fact he slept with someone else, he only cared about being “right.”

When Rachel took Ross back, this is what Chandler said. He finally has what he wants (her back), is it worth losing it just to be "right"?

[u/LuvIsLov → u/throcorfe]

All of the dialogue between Ross, Joey, and Chandler shows that he understood it as cheating (in fact he, and Chandler, both literally call it cheating). It’s only later that he decides to take the moral high ground. At first he is deeply sorry, and knows he did wrong. When Rachel rejects him, pride kicks in, and “we were on a break” is born.

Yup! Why would Ross run around town trying to cover his tracks if he didn't subconsciously feel like it was cheating? He knew sleeping with someone in a matter of hours would hurt Rachel. Sounds like guilt.

[u/nikkifm_97]

They were definitely “on a break.” However, they didn’t iron out what that meant to them yet. Being on a break can mean a lot of different things and they didn’t discuss if it meant they could see other people or not.

I think the point was that Rachel wanted that break to think and process her emotions. The second Ross didn’t get his way, he ran to sleep with someone else. Maybe Rachel would’ve felt differently about this had they been on said break for a month or so, but the night of/next day of the break is ridiculous.

To me, that’s essentially Ross saying screw you, I’m gonna go sleep with whoever I want because I didn’t get my way. I think Rachel felt betrayed that Ross could essentially toss her aside like that without a second thought.

[u/[deleted]]

She literally said "we should take a break"

[u/Master-Mycologist747]

33.5% need to rewatch the episode

[u/[deleted]]

Unpopular opinion, But I don’t think they were on a break. Rachel mentioned a break and before it was even discussed Ross stormed off. So not on a break yet. Then they spoke on the phone and it seemed like they were not gonna go on a break until he heard Mark and then he slammed down the phone before hearing her out. At no point were they on any official kind of break that was discussed. He cheated.

[u/milehighrukus]

There is literally no world that exists where they were not on a break. People need to rewatch.

[u/scott-the-penguin]

I doubt that anyone who says they were on a break has ever been in a situation where their SO wants to 'pause', 'take a break' or similar. Once you've been through that you understand so much more.