It makes complete sense from a programmer's point of view. Refactor the relationship by deleting the troublesome elements, leaving behind what you want to keep.
The programmer and his friends then don't have a ground to complain that the other person in the relationship refactored the rest.
When you approach people as if they were things or code, then those people eventually have only one smart option left - cut you out. It is not because they are evil, but because they are hurt and protecting themselves from further hurt from you. And this approach does guarantee you will hurt them again and again.
When you approach people as if they were things or code, then those people eventually have only one smart option left - cut you out. It is not because they are evil, but because they are hurt and protecting themselves from further hurt from you. And this approach does guarantee you will hurt them again and again.