It is arguable that one should always go for what one's heart desires. However, given the way modern hook- up culture works, I'm sure one's heart isn’t going to stop beating over not being able to share a night with your friend's ex.
Friendship is more crucial to us than one-night stands and tacky romance.
They do say there are plenty fish in the sea, why pick your friend's sloppy seconds? You can do better than that; unless you are living out a Euphoria fantasy. We all know how the Maddie and Cassie feud turned out. Chiefly, friendship is more crucial to us than one-night stands and tacky romance. Friendships ground us; they give us belonging and joy. Out of everyone in the world for you to pick your friend's ex is to potentially sacrifice their respect and shatter a strong platonic connection that is inherently more important.
Ask yourself if it is worth the loss of friendship
Before getting with a friend’s ex you should ask yourself if it is worth the loss of friendship. Break-ups can take a tediously long time to get over and you may impede their ability to move on from it. Moreover, people love to gossip so it’s vital to consider what your mutual friends will think and how their perceptions of the kind of friend you are will shift. It could be deemed inevitable that your friends would begin to distance themselves from you even if outwardly they didn’t seem to mind.
That aside, life is never black and white. Every scenario is different. However, if you are going to get with a friend's ex then I suggest you contemplate whether your friend is over their ex and how you would react if the roles were reversed. Nevertheless, I think I speak for many of us when I say mates before dates!