7 ms·

This keeps happening to me. I read a feelgood story, visit the wiki page and then realize how muddy the water is: >> Monroe has been described as an "austerity

by _mh56 3y ago

This keeps happening to me. I read a feelgood story, visit the wiki page and then realize how muddy the water is: >> Monroe has been described as an "austerity celebrity". In a January 2023 interview with Simon Hattenstone in The Guardian, Monroe acknowledged that she had recklessly spent money given by backers; she claimed "I'd go online absolutely shitfaced and buy nice furniture." Granted most poor people do stupid stuff after getting monies, but the charm of the tale is diminished. Edit: I meant touching not feelgood. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Monroe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Monroe

drcongo 3y ago
If you've never come across Jack before, most people I know in poor communities think she's a hero regardless, and quite a few would just say "Good on her" for the spending. She is a hero.
titanomachy 3y ago
You consider this a “feelgood story”??
- steve_adams_86 3y ago
  In the end she describes herself as being a rotten husk of a human being, clawing at the floor and sobbing at the drop of a pin. Sure she’s not economically impoverished anymore, but she’s certainly mentally and spiritually impoverished. I don’t feel so good. This felt too real and too close to home. I loved reading it in a sense—it’s well written and interesting—yet it also made me feel kind of sick. I have no idea how someone gets feel good story out of this.
flipgimble 3y ago
I think the story highlights a problem irrespective of the messenger. Some people cannot help but judge and opine on other's behavior where they have no context, or any moral basis to render that judement. We do this all the time in private, but politicians, or public figures, use the same propensity to pass devastating and life hampering policies, or inflame public opinion against a group of people. All I'm really hoping for is a wide spread culture of more humility and compassion in how we communicate in public, despite the exact opposite tendencies capturing the current herd mentality.
- darkerside 3y ago
  The problem is that sometimes humility and compassion are not what's needed. Sometimes a person needs a kick in the pants. A close friend willing to tell you to stop impulse buying furniture, or get a fucking job, or get off your ass and work out. The tricky part is knowing when which tactic is called for.
  - squigz 3y ago
    Have you ever told a friend that and them respond with something along the lines of, "You know, I'd never thought of that. I'm just going to go get a job. Thanks!"? Me neither.
    - brvsft 3y ago
      You don't tell your friend to get a job. You tell your friend they sound like a miserable fuck and some of their problems are of their own making.
      - squigz 3y ago
        I'm glad I'm not your friend.
        brvsft 3y ago
        Right back atcha.
    - darkerside 3y ago
      I have given hard truths to friends before. If you care about someone, there's a point where you need to. Even if they don't respond well in the moment, truth once heard cannot be unheard.
    - PeterisP 3y ago
      If your friend is screwing up their life and you are enabling them by validating their bad choices, you're not being a good friend to them. Close friends are pretty much the only ones who are in a position of trust to be able to deliver harsh truths to someone in a way that actually gets through (unlike internet strangers, media, authorities and in many cases also family), so it's the duty of friends to actually do so when needed.
cipheredStones 3y ago
I think casting this as "a feelgood story" and her behavior after reaching success as sullying that is completely missing the point. She's writing about herself, but the goal is to convey some of the horror of living in poverty and the absurdity of people who've never experienced anything like it acting as if poor people would be perfectly fine if they just followed rich people's advice. It's absolutely not to tout herself as a heartwarming rags-to-riches story.
corobo 3y ago
God I hope to one day have enough to see this as a feelgood story and not a summary of my last couple of years (the pre-book deal bit) lmao Recklessly spending is a symptom of poverty (also, ADHD, which she mentions) - spend it before it runs out. Comes from a life of having plans (No not those life kind of plans - plans to buy food, pay rent) then something urgent happens and takes away the money. I'll be the first to agree it's stupid, but I can't blame her too harshly on that point. Seen it play out too many times. Also been there done that after a broken hip settlement (saving my other one for retirement!) - I got so fat lol See also: lottery winners that go broke inside a few years
bradjohnson 3y ago
This comment is tone deaf as hell.

by _mh56 3y ago

drcongo 3y ago

If you've never come across Jack before, most people I know in poor communities think she's a hero regardless, and quite a few would just say "Good on her" for the spending. She is a hero.

titanomachy 3y ago

You consider this a “feelgood story”??

steve_adams_86 3y ago
In the end she describes herself as being a rotten husk of a human being, clawing at the floor and sobbing at the drop of a pin. Sure she’s not economically impoverished anymore, but she’s certainly mentally and spiritually impoverished. I don’t feel so good. This felt too real and too close to home. I loved reading it in a sense—it’s well written and interesting—yet it also made me feel kind of sick. I have no idea how someone gets feel good story out of this.

flipgimble 3y ago

I think the story highlights a problem irrespective of the messenger. Some people cannot help but judge and opine on other's behavior where they have no context, or any moral basis to render that judement. We do this all the time in private, but politicians, or public figures, use the same propensity to pass devastating and life hampering policies, or inflame public opinion against a group of people. All I'm really hoping for is a wide spread culture of more humility and compassion in how we communicate in public, despite the exact opposite tendencies capturing the current herd mentality.

darkerside 3y ago
The problem is that sometimes humility and compassion are not what's needed. Sometimes a person needs a kick in the pants. A close friend willing to tell you to stop impulse buying furniture, or get a fucking job, or get off your ass and work out. The tricky part is knowing when which tactic is called for.
- squigz 3y ago
  Have you ever told a friend that and them respond with something along the lines of, "You know, I'd never thought of that. I'm just going to go get a job. Thanks!"? Me neither.
  - brvsft 3y ago
    You don't tell your friend to get a job. You tell your friend they sound like a miserable fuck and some of their problems are of their own making.
    - squigz 3y ago
      I'm glad I'm not your friend.
      - brvsft 3y ago
        Right back atcha.
  - darkerside 3y ago
    I have given hard truths to friends before. If you care about someone, there's a point where you need to. Even if they don't respond well in the moment, truth once heard cannot be unheard.
  - PeterisP 3y ago
    If your friend is screwing up their life and you are enabling them by validating their bad choices, you're not being a good friend to them. Close friends are pretty much the only ones who are in a position of trust to be able to deliver harsh truths to someone in a way that actually gets through (unlike internet strangers, media, authorities and in many cases also family), so it's the duty of friends to actually do so when needed.

cipheredStones 3y ago

I think casting this as "a feelgood story" and her behavior after reaching success as sullying that is completely missing the point. She's writing about herself, but the goal is to convey some of the horror of living in poverty and the absurdity of people who've never experienced anything like it acting as if poor people would be perfectly fine if they just followed rich people's advice. It's absolutely not to tout herself as a heartwarming rags-to-riches story.

corobo 3y ago

God I hope to one day have enough to see this as a feelgood story and not a summary of my last couple of years (the pre-book deal bit) lmao Recklessly spending is a symptom of poverty (also, ADHD, which she mentions) - spend it before it runs out. Comes from a life of having plans (No not those life kind of plans - plans to buy food, pay rent) then something urgent happens and takes away the money. I'll be the first to agree it's stupid, but I can't blame her too harshly on that point. Seen it play out too many times. Also been there done that after a broken hip settlement (saving my other one for retirement!) - I got so fat lol See also: lottery winners that go broke inside a few years

bradjohnson 3y ago

This comment is tone deaf as hell.