Stacey Soloman rant that actually just shows what's wrong with the world

My DS (18) has autism and can’t work as he finds a lot of stuff distressing and can’t speak to people he doesn’t know. He started YouTube at 16 to gain confidence and now makes around £3000 a month and it goes up all the time. People who look down on this sort of thing is just jealous in my opinion. This is a lifeline for him and he makes me so proud. There is nothing wrong with making money online

Exactly. And perhaps if the general public didn’t treat NHS staff (and teachers) like total shit that would also help.
The ambulance service in particular has lost a massive amount of experienced paramedics. You used to enter the service and it was your career for 30-40 years. Now the workforce is really inexperienced and most now leave the NHS ambulance service within about 7 years to move into better paid, more flexible jobs where they don’t suffer the abuse and poor working conditions that exists in the NHS.

The OP is being very, very unreasonable.

Not only does society put pressure on nurses to be martyrs and perfect human beings but it seems they do so themselves.
(I recall the recent thread here about how the nurse should be struck off for having an affair and a shouting match with the cheating husband's wife. I am not condoning affairs at all but the point is that in few other jobs would it be suggested she lose her job.)

Three years training and debt at the end of it.
Gone are the days of bursaries and it being a 5 o'level job.

If any person can find an easier life that doesn't involve the havoc of shift work and the stress of it all, good luck to them.

There's no need to worry as I'm sure that there are people who love nursing who wouldn't quit under any circumstances.

Having worked night shifts in a nursing home while waiting to train in my profession, I can say that they are the pits and found it extremely difficult to sleep the next day.
You don't just go to bed at 8 am and sleep. You often go in the second night with very little sleep.

F* that. If anybody can get out of that, good luck to them.

I think some people are misunderstanding you OP.
It’s just demoralising as a nurse that the value placed on the job is so little compared to influencers, footballers, bankers etc. I think that’s what you were saying? If so, I completely agree.

Live and let live, you may be happy being a nurse getting the pay that you do, she obviously wasn’t, she’s found something that brings an awful lot more money than being a nurse. If you won the euro’s or a massive windfall would you still be doing your nursing job?

The problem isn't 'influencers'.

The problem is that, for many reasons, nursing (as one example) has become such an unattractive career.

Perhaps if wards were staffed adequately, bursaries were reintroduced during training, nurses weren't required to work over their hours and earned enough to not need UC tops ups, food banks and could afford to buy houses, maybe they'd be happier to do it.

The content just baffles me though, same with Mrs Hinch if she’s still around. It may just be me but I don’t want to watch people mopping.

Many people are bored/lonely before SM they would have watched telly or QVC etc. Mrs Hinch was brilliant marketing, it’s much harder to aspire to be like your “friend” who is showing off designer handbags etc but the vast majority can buy the same sponge or mop as Mrs Hinch.

There are lots of teachers/nurses etc doing supply work for agencies because the govt won't give schools and hospitals the money to employ us on permanent contracts. Why wouldn't someone exchange low paid job insecurity for high paid job insecurity? 'Influencing' might not last forever but if it's lucrative, why not make the money instead of working harder for less?

There are currently midwives on uni training courses who were promised guaranteed employment, who have had that ripped away at the last minute - I can see the appeal of a career where a person has some control over their own employment. There's no loyalty from the state in terms of supporting (via guaranteed employment) of those people who have entered vocational careers, so I can't see that a nurse or teacher/TA owes anyone years of their life in high stress/long hours/low paid work.

What’s your job then?

Maybe im being naive but I thought "making it" as in being able to live comfortably from streaming/insta/youtube/tiktok would be a bit like wanting to be a pro footballer or a popstar....in that for every successful one theres thousands who tried and failed...?

100% agree. Your own family has to come first.

Maybe it's disgusting we pay nurses so little, but people have the right to choose a better paying path if that's open to them.

Ha, have any of us tried though? I’m not sure I’d want to sit filming myself pegging crisps up in a cupboard. I mean, good for her in ways, I know she had a tough life prior to the X Factor and now she can give her DC a wonderful life. The content just baffles me though, same with Mrs Hinch if she’s still around. It may just be me but I don’t want to watch people mopping.

I know a few teachers who have left the education system and privately tutor full time.

Their hours might not be the standard 9-5, but they generally work half the hours they did as a class teacher, have matched (and in one case significantly exceeded) their class teacher salary. There is more flexibility in how they teach, what they teach and they can genuinely meet the needs of the child.

In essence, they are teaching again.

Teaching has become more 'corporate' in its approach and expectations, which doesn't really fit the role especially when the education landscape has changed so significantly.

Unfortunately, the private tutor market has become somewhat saturated so I don't know how this will play out in the future but, then again, with more parents realising the education system isn't working for their children anymore, maybe the need will continue to increase.

it has become such a flex to quit the rat race, even if it makes you economically worse off

I'm in a fb group for teachers considering leaving the profession and there are teachers leaving the profession and taking £20-£40k pay cuts (with standard AL) to work in lower paid (sometimes min wage) roles. That says a lot about what people are prioritising.

It's not a 'flex' people just can't sustain it any longer. And many people are deciding that there are more important things in life than just making money.

I just wonder who is going to patch their kids up when they come into A&E? We need nurses, influencers? Not so much.

Well thats the whole thing, she has the x factor, whatever that may be and we don't all have it so we can't all make money like she can.

There have been a couple of previous winners of Masterchef this week who were doctors or dentists and left their careers for food based ones once they did well on the show. I always feel a bit sorry that we’ve lost such a talent from healthcare to do what a less qualified job (albeit still a skilled one) but ultimately if they enjoy it more then it’s up to them. Isn’t this the same? I do love my food but I value a paediatrician higher than even a great chef and a paeds nurse higher than a content creator unless it’s about nursing/health. But obviously everyone has to do what is right for their life (within reason)!

Back in the indie and then "Brit pop" days of the 80s - 90s loads of kids wanted to be in bands and thought this was the route to fame & fortune. For some it was for lots it wasn't.
There are always things like this although admittedly "influencing" is more prolific and popular.

As someone else said the bubble will burst though and actually only the most dedicated make real money.
You can't blame people for having a go though the job market is tough, AI is changing things as we speak & the cost of living keeps rising
It's unlikely a non celeb will sustain the influencer role for their whole working life of 40+ years or make enough to retire in their twenties. Most will need a real job at some point.

For now, maybe. But I very highly doubt there’s any longevity in any of this for 99% of influencers and content creators. There’s an always going to be someone coming right up behind you with an “act” that’s more popular then before you know it, you’re at the bottom of the pile.

I mean, take a look at the endless number of minor celebs who have tried to use SM to increase their wealth. These are people who already have a platform/status and even they can’t make it work long term. Look how many of them end up on their arses, up to their eyeballs in debt and picking up a plethora or mental health or substance abuse issues. It’s not a pretty picture.

I’d also imagine many of the people you mention are having nowhere near as much success as they’d like you to think.

Or she's better at influencing than nursing?

She works less, earns more and gets more time with her family - why wouldn't someone do that?

I left my job and make more money on TikTok. I do miss the kids a bit but I don’t miss parent’s evenings, shitty emails and juggling a million balls.

Also couldn't give a fuck if you judge me. My DCs enjoy me being around more and lovely holidays. I work from home and have loads of free time now so never miss their school events.

And, anyone can do it. It’s all about choices.

Or she has a family and wants to prioritise spending time with them

I’m just a bit jealous to be honest. 😁. Not wanting the “fame”, but the money and not having to work a normal job would be lovely. I’d really like to find a niche doing some sort of content creation. I have no imagination though for this sort of thing!

Can't say I blame them to be honest. Nhs worker here. I love my job but I need more ££ to live comfortably.