In a shocking viral moment, Casey Mackrell, co-founder of the AI startup Thoughtly, has become the center of a heated online debate after he was photographed working on his laptop during his own wedding. The image, posted by his co-founder Torrey Leonard on LinkedIn, sparked immediate backlash, with social media users predicting a rocky road ahead for his marriage.
Work Over Wedding? The Controversial Moment
The photo shows Mackrell typing away on his laptop while his wedding guests are seen dancing in the background. According to Leonard’s LinkedIn post, the tech entrepreneur was “wrapping up a pull request” as his startup had onboarded a client with a tight deadline—just two weeks to launch. Unfortunately, that deadline happened to overlap with his wedding day.
While Leonard’s post praised Mackrell’s dedication, the internet had a very different take.
Backlash Erupts due to Work Over wedding : ‘Divorce Incoming’
The image quickly made its way from LinkedIn to X (formerly Twitter), where users didn’t hold back. Many criticized Mackrell for failing to set boundaries, with one user tweeting, “If you can’t put your laptop away at your own wedding, what’s next? A pull request at the divorce hearing?”
Another user sarcastically commented, “Imagine your wedding day being ruined by bad time management. Should’ve wrapped up work BEFORE the big day.”
As the post gained more attention, comments flooded in, many predicting that Mackrell’s marriage wouldn’t last if he couldn’t step away from work on such a special occasion.
Toxic Work Culture or Dedication?
The controversy has sparked larger conversations about work-life balance in the tech industry. While some admire Mackrell’s dedication to his startup, others see this as an example of toxic hustle culture, where work takes precedence over personal milestones.
Mackrell did respond, clarifying that he “got back to dancing and champagne 2 seconds later,” but the damage was done. The viral moment has highlighted the dangers of not setting boundaries in today’s fast-paced world, especially in tech.
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