A recent post on Kristen Bell’s Instagram page about her relationship with husband Dax Shepard turned heads and divided some of the Good Place actress’ fans. The post is especially interesting considering the fact that many tabloids have questioned the stability of Bell’s marriage to Shepard over the past year. With that in mind, this peek into the famous pair’s marital mindset says a lot about them.
Kristen Bell’s Honesty About Husband Causes Division
Kristen Bell reposted a tweet from Adam Grant, a psychologist, about the special place disagreement has in a relationship. The post read, “If two people always agree, it’s a sign that at least one of them isn’t thinking critically – or speaking candidly.” He went on to add that different opinions don’t have to be a threat to the relationship or the other person, but rather could be an opportunity to learn. In conclusion, he wrote, “Intellectual friction isn’t a relationship but. It’s a feature of education.”
Bell apparently couldn’t have said it better herself. In the caption on the post, she wrote, “Real talk. I disagree with my husband on practically everything. And because we are always respectful, it’s very stimulating.” Since she finds respectful disagreement so stimulating, then Bell probably wouldn’t be too upset to find that the comment section beneath her post quickly sparked a spirited debate.
Most Sided With Bell
The majority of Bell’s followers heartily agreed with her, with one person writing, “Ain’t this the truth! Having that agree to disagree discourse is key for a healthy relationship.” Another added, “I need someone to disagree with me at least 50% of the time to keep me in check.” Others, however, thought there were some finer points that the original post missed.
Others, However, Pushed Back On Claims
“Two people can agree on something. Doesn’t mean they’re not thinking or being real. They just agree,” one follower insisted. Others pointed out that disagreement was fine, but it definitely depended on the subject. “Depends what you disagree about,” commented one person, “It’s good to tussle and debate, but some issues are too significant to tolerate differences – racism, homophobia, anti-vaxxers, etc.”
A different person explained, “Some differences are not opinions, they’re deal breakers,” though they did agree that “not everything needs to be an agreement.” Yet another person stressed that they overall agreed with the statement, though they continued, “But when someone’s opinion is contrary [to] fact, it’s a different situation.” It was also not ok, the person added, if the opinion is “immoral.”
Despite the wide range of opinions, everyone agreed that respect was of utmost importance when it came to expressing those opinions, which proves that Bell’s original point still stands. Though she clearly enjoys getting into spirited debates with her husband, Bell has been plagued with tabloid rumors claiming she and Shepard are on the edge of calling it quits on their marriage.
This obviously couldn’t be further from the truth. Part of the reason why Bell and Shepard have been able to keep their relationship going as long as they have is thanks in part to their acceptance that they’ll disagree and fight on occasion. But what’s most important is that they remain on the same team and treat each other with respect.