Why do I feel obligated to maintain relationships with people I met online but don't actually like?

Because online spaces collapse the natural distance that offline communities create. In person, you drift naturally—different coffee shops, different schedules. Online, you're trapped in the same feed, the same group chat, indefinite. There's an unspoken guilt: if they followed you, you owe them engagement. If you're in their community, you're responsible for their feelings about you. Rabia teaches us something different. She loved without transaction. Not because she was obligated, but because her love was for something larger than individual approval. That's the shift. You don't owe anyone your presence or affection just because they showed up in your digital space. Real belonging is never a debt. It's a choice, renewed again and again. You're allowed to outgrow people. You're allowed to recognize that shared interest isn't the same as shared values. You're allowed to leave quietly. The right people—the ones building real community—will understand. They'll want you there because you're genuinely there, not because you're performing being there. Start noticing: Which relationships feel like home, and which feel like obligation? Your answer will tell you everything.