Mumsnet world is like a movie to me, anyone else?

[MoaningMyrtle202]

Im well travelled and work with the general public in the UK so like to think I have some kind of idea of your average Joe blogs generally speaking.

When I come on mumsnet however the general replies from mainly British posters seem to show an alternate universe.

People refer to working ‘in the city’. Which city is this? Why call it ‘the city’. Example ‘I was a lawyer in the city’.
It sounds like Hollywood movie speak. I’ve never in my life heard anyone say ‘I work in the city’. People just say ‘I work in London/Leeds/Cardiff’ or ‘i was a lawyer’.

Thats another thing. A lot of people use the word lawyer on here but but I’ve rarely heard that term used in the UK, normally it’s solicitor?

Then referring to marriage. So many posts about ‘protection’ and being entitled to half. Most people I know don’t have ‘assets’ outside their mortgaged home? Most people also buy jointly a house regardless of marriage. A lot of people are also in rented and there is 0 assets.

It’s like everyone lives in some Hollywood movie where they were on 120K working in ‘the city’ as a ‘hot shot lawyer’ but then married top law firm partner husband on 360K. They then gave up their career for children and are now divorcing said high earning husband and taking half these mysterious ‘assets’. Because they enabled husband to become the rich successful man he is today. Like a plot to a film.

In real life most people only own their home with a joint mortgage as an only asset. If the woman is a SAHM it’s usually because their household income is being topped up with UC. Therefore most couples both work albeit one of them part time with kids.

Where are all these Hollywood lifestyle people in everyday life?

Where is ‘the city’? It sounds great. I live in a city and no one refers to here as ‘the city’ so it can’t be here 🤣🤣.

'Lawyer' is a generic term which encompasses solicitors (UK or strictly speaking England & Wales), barristers (UK), attorneys (US) and lawyers/legal practitioners from other jurisdictions like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and other jurisdictions. They all practice in one form or another in the City of London. Some are dual-qualified. Hence the preference to use 'lawyer' rather than 'solicitor'. Solicitor has an English slant, rather than a global slant.

The City of London services the global economy, not just the domestic UK economy.

This. I'm a SAHM, fully self funded thanks 🙃

😂😂 Was the man running the farm really attractive, widowed with a pre-teen daughter? @Cwcwbird

Address? Who are you - the thread prefect?!

Well it's pretty funny she's set up this whole thread on a complete misunderstanding and has picked out the one person who also doesn't seem to understand to reply to, completely ignoring that the entire basis of her thread is...wrong...so yeah, I'd like her to...address, respond, acknowledge- you decide

@name78change I’ve not heard London called ‘the city’ before mumsnet ever. My sister in-lawn works in finance in London but doesn’t ever say ‘I work in the city’. Instead she says ‘I work in finance’.

I’ve heard of ‘the city’ in ‘sex in the city’ though 😂😂😂

236,900 people work in the City. They are also all on Mumsnet and very prolific posters.

@MoaningMyrtle202 thank you, your response is appreciated, as you were

I'm surprised you've never heard of the "city". I don't work in/near London nor in the financial sector but know what the term means, thought it was just general knowledge.

In terms of assets most people will have things like their pensions, cars (including if on finance), any savings, possibly things like joint life insurance policies, if older, possibly inheritances, which, even if small amounts come under "assets". Even comparatively small things like an expensive engagement ring or a sofa still being paid on finance count as assets/debts.

The term doesn't necessarily mean everyone is hugely wealthy, just there's a lot more to unpack than just "we'll see the house and get half each" if a relationship ends.

Does she work in finance somewhere in London, or in The City, though? It’s a specific place! It’s like saying you’ve never heard of Zone 1, or Bloomsbury.

What bemuses me is the MN attitude to taking time out of work to look after your DC for a few years when they're young. "Your career will be wrecked! Your pension screwed!"

In RL most women I know took time off or went part time and they're doing just fine. Including me!

I first heard of London’s financial district being known as The City when I came down here to work. Before coming to London I would use the term solicitor, now I only hear the term lawyer. Unless you’re buying or selling a property, then I’d say solicitor. I think it’s a London thing, lots of MNs are London dwellers.

@NoelNoNoel you may be average in your circle but not in the U.K. which kind of illustrates OPs point.

‘The city’ doesn’t mean London as a whole in this context. The City of London is a separate area within London itself. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_London

‘Working in the city’ is common shorthand for working in banking/finance, because the city of London is the country’s main financial district.

My sister in-lawn works in finance in London but doesn’t ever say ‘I work in the city’. Instead she says ‘I work in finance’

Well yes, she says that because she works in finance, in London. If she worked in the City, she'd say so. It's a thing, not just a mumsnet thing!

I'm old , but in the early 80s my friends all got jobs ' in the city ' or ' worked up town '
I never did , saved a fortune in fares.

Sex and the City

@olafolaf you don’t know anyone claiming UC?

Yes must be due to circles as I know many poor people!! Well off people, skint people and financially ok people!

But no people who say lawyer instead of solicitor or work ‘in the city’ it seems!

😀

@Cwcwbird - I see you've been watching one too many of 'those' Hallmark Christmas films? 😁

Same eDay. If you have marketable skills and are smart it’s perfectly possible to rejoin the labour market after a few years out. There’s almost undisguised glee on here that anyone taking a few years out will end up a pauper begging for alms at the church gate unemployable and husband long gone. .

OP, it's not 'in the city'. It's in the City ... as is explained it's a specific district, not saying you work in a large urban setting.

It's fine if you've never heard it. But stop implying it's an invented thing specific to MN!

When I worked in the City lots were overseas lawyers so people used lawyer rather than solicitor as it’s more generic.

Does anyone have a facepalm emoji I could borrow, I can't find mine.

Funny how people think anyone living a different life isn't in 'the real world'. I like MN for glimpses of other lives.

A relative of mine posted here a lot for a few years. Towards the end of that time I saw lots of people assuming she was a fantasist because she lives in a famous city in another country and has a wealthy life. It's in fact all true. These are - gasp! - not the only facts about her. She could have posted a completely different version of her life that would also all have been true and which would have made her life sound very challenging, but she's a very positive person.

🤣🤣🤣