A Redditor walked into a workplace drama that would make any body mod lover cringe. What started as excitement over new ear piercings spiraled into a bizarre coworker meltdown about originality, jealousy, and… being “one of a kind.”
The original poster (OP), a 23-year-old woman, had spent time designing a personalized piercing template tailored to her ears. She even shared the plans with her coworker, “Emma,” who praised it. But when OP arrived at work later, she was accused of being a copycat—because Emma had secretly gone out and gotten the exact same piercings first.
Instead of owning up, Emma lashed out, cried in the bathroom, and told OP that the piercings now “belonged” to her. What started as a shared aesthetic became a full-blown emotional war in the office. Ready to witness a workplace spiral into chaos over who “owns” an earlobe idea? Dive into the original post below.
One woman shared on Reddit how her coworker’s sneaky move to copy her ear-piercing plan led to a workplace showdown and a moral dilemma
Modern workplace etiquette has evolved. But apparently, we’re still debating who called dibs on cartilage piercings. This situation, though a bit dramatic, opens up a broader discussion about identity, boundaries, and the fine line between inspiration and imitation.
Emma’s behavior reflects an insecurity that isn’t uncommon. According to licensed psychotherapist Whitney Goodman, LMFT, “People who struggle with self-worth often over-identify with being ‘special’ or ‘different’ to feel valuable”. That need to be “one of a kind” can manifest in odd ways—like rushing to mimic someone’s idea just to beat them to it.
In Emma’s case, she didn’t just admire OP’s ear design—she copied it, claimed ownership, and tried to guilt OP into backing off. The irony? Emma’s desire to be unique led her to steal someone else’s individuality.
Dr. Carolyn Rubenstein, a licensed psychologist, explains in a Psychology Today article that some people feel threatened by others’ success or creativity, interpreting it as a challenge to their own self-image. This leads to defensiveness, or in this case, meltdown-level drama.
But does OP owe Emma a free pass just because she got there first? Absolutely not. “You are allowed to exist in the same space, wear similar styles, or make the same choices—especially if they’re yours to begin with,” says therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab, who frequently writes about boundaries and interpersonal conflict.
Let’s not forget: OP wasn’t copying—she was the original. The screenshots and planning prove that. The fact that Emma couldn’t handle that says more about her own insecurities than anything else.
Advice? OP should go ahead with her piercings. This isn’t Mean Girls. No one has a monopoly on double helix studs.
Commenters called Emma an entitled brat for copying the plan and crying over originality, saying her behavior was childish for a 22-year-old
Users urged her to get the piercings, noting she shouldn’t confide in coworkers to avoid future copycats and that her idea was hers first
Commenters compared Emma’s tantrum to a toddler’s, linking her “one-of-a-kind” obsession to her twin background, calling her behavior middle-school-level
Users stressed the Redditor’s right to do what she wants with her body, saying even intentional copying wouldn’t make her wrong, and questioned how many piercings Emma got
Commenters encouraged her to proceed, suggesting Emma could remove her fresh piercings if she wants uniqueness, and to ignore her whining
This situation might sound petty, but it cuts to a deeper truth: some people can’t celebrate others without feeling like they’re losing something. OP put time and care into designing something meaningful, and Emma’s decision to steal it—then guilt trip her—was more than immature.
So was OP wrong to go through with it? Not at all. Should she hold back on something she loves just to protect someone else’s fragile ego? Definitely not. Would you still get the piercings if you were OP? Or try to maintain the peace at work?
