THE FUSE

You might have already seen posts about “the rotten lemon effect” circulating online. Imagine placing one rotten lemon in a bowl of fresh fruit. Before long, it spoils the rest. The metaphor describes toxic people, negative environments, or how unprocessed emotional experiences spread. It is catchy, visual, instantly relatable, and perfect for social media. What this framing misses, though, is that the same dynamic shows up within intimate relationships.