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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to wonder why you guys despise people like me?

511 replies

theprodigaldaughter · 24/11/2011 11:47

I guess this is not so much an AIBU thread but more of a question why? I wasn't sure where to post it.

After observing this website for a few months I would like to ask you ladies a question.

Why do you despise people like me?

I suppose for starters I had better explain myself. My cards are on the table. I am in my 40's. I have a couple of kids. My husband has a very good job as did I until I gave it up a couple of years ago to raise my kids. We have financial security, we own a nice house and car and have a nice holiday every year. My kids go to private school. Without going into too much detail, he pays 40% tax, and a little bit at 50%. He is not a banker.

Prior to the flames that I envisage following the above, I'd also like to explain our backgrounds. Both myself and my husband come from a rough northern town. We went to poorly funded state schools which were really rough. We both left with very little. We then went to college and did a lot better and both then went to Uni. We left heavily in debt and got jobs at the time earning under 10K a year each. We both carried on studying and gaining post grad qualifications. We got married, moved and worked in the city of london, then moved abroad where we both worked 70 hours/ 6 days a week until I was 36, when we had our kids. We saved everything we could for our future.

Now I am back in the UK I find that we are despised for having a bit of money, our own house, a nice car and sending our kids to an independent school. According to the threads on this website we should pay more tax, donate any spare cash we have to schools for other peoples kids and basically give up the air we breathe for others benefit. Apparently we are a parasite on society and ungodly because someone else has less than us.

I am genuinely interested to know WHY someone who has dragged themselves out of the mud to better themselves is hated by our society. It seems that no one wants anyone to have anything, but is not prepared to work for it themselves. After reading the above, I ask a lot of you -what have you done to better yourselves? Have you moved away and made sacrifices? Have you constantly strived to improve your life? If the answer is no, then you cannot begrudge what we have.

I am all for helping those in need who are incapable of helping themselves. They should be our priority. But I begrudge a penny of my taxes going to anyone who had the same start in life as I did, but has done nothing to better themselves.

Rant over...sorry it is so long. It's just that the people on this site are making my blood boil.

OP posts:
Pagwatch · 24/11/2011 15:33

You only have a child once though. With the cat feeding thing it's almost every day.

Jenski · 24/11/2011 15:35

Nice post Jux

MincePieFlavouredVoidka · 24/11/2011 15:37

I havent read the thread, but the title made me think of The Goonies, which made me smile.

ledkr · 24/11/2011 15:41

Stealth boasting me thinks.

People are probably indifferent to you love. If you feel despised its probably due to nasty snipey boastfull manner other things.

ageperfect · 24/11/2011 15:44

I tend to agree with you op. Many people -not all-don't like to hear positive stories cause they straight away assume that you are showing off and it's often to do with actualy how you present yourself. Well done on your good life. Many of us are working hard but somehow it's still hard,but saying that as well it doesn't mean that you are being despised.Do you need tap on the shoulder??? Did you have conflict with someone over your status so you think that people see you in negative way?

TheRealTillyMinto · 24/11/2011 15:44

Jux well i pay all the tax i am supposed to and non that i dont. but tax law is v complex so you have to pay someone to explain it to you - in my case an accountant. otherwise you would pay more than you should.

do you pay more tax than is expected of you?

i need to pay salaries if clients arent buying/paying on time. i could not take the advice, pay more tax, have less profit saved from previous years....and if the economy tanks make redendencies sooner. or i can pay what the law requries but no more and grow the company.

today i am interviewing (& pissing around on MN majorly). thats one more job in a down turn & one less person on benefits, one more person payning taxes.

WorkingItOutAsIGo · 24/11/2011 15:45

Fellatio the reason a couple of us commented on the strange phrasing about tax is that in the olden days it was a stealth boast to say 'I pay 40% tax' ie you are in the top slice of incomes. So the new stealth boast is 'I pay 50% tax' not 'he pays 40% tax, and a little bit at 50%'. Otherwise you might as well say 'I pay 10% tax and 20% tax and 40% tax and 50% tax' and it would be getting ridiculous.

So yer genuwine article just keeps it simple and their boasts short.

TuftyFinch · 24/11/2011 15:46

If you gave birth to a cat that would be pretty difficult conversation with the midwife/surgeon.

Midwife: you've given birth to a cat!
Mother:cool.

I think that's a pretty accurate script of how it would play out.

BringHimHome · 24/11/2011 15:46

The OP told us that she had kids - hence my comments about keeping animals.

ledkr · 24/11/2011 15:47

Eh??

Gonzo33 · 24/11/2011 15:47

Well I think people would admire you rather than despise you. Fair play to you and your husband for doing what you have done.

Hullygully · 24/11/2011 15:48

I think it would go:

Midwife: you've given birth to a cat!

Mother: Well I'm not fucking feeding it nearly every day. Put it in a wheelie bin.

ageperfect · 24/11/2011 15:49

O dear, i have gone off the topic [running away with Brew ]

pinkytheshrunkenhead · 24/11/2011 15:49

I don't despise you, you are a peasant in my circles

have a nice day

ageperfect · 24/11/2011 15:52

[coming back with Wine ]...

TuftyFinch · 24/11/2011 15:52

Or

Midwife: you've given birth to a cat!

Mother: but is it the baby Jesus?

Midwife: well...it's a cat.

Mother: I know but is it the baby Jesus?

Jenski · 24/11/2011 15:54

Has the OP come back at all? Can't be arsed to look at whole thread, but just wondering. I don't think OP exists actually.... Hmm

SinicalSal · 24/11/2011 15:54

Or
midwife: You've given birth to a cat!

mother: That's some pussy I have!

Sorry.
I'm off

BrilliantDisguise · 24/11/2011 15:55

Poor OP. You should have been here a few years ago, when MN was filled with people in similar circumstances to yourself.

They all sloped off to somewhere that appreciated them a little more... though you're probably a bit to Northern for their tastes Wink

Hullygully · 24/11/2011 15:56

Meeeeoooowwwww

Wordsonapage · 24/11/2011 15:58

Aw fell don't worry

I have a pool and a maid slave and driver and a 4 x 4 and a convertible ( for the weekends sans kids and driver natch) and tiffany ( plat and diamond..none of that silver shit) and no one gives a shit .

ageperfect · 24/11/2011 15:59

prrrrrr...Wine

Trixxie89 · 24/11/2011 15:59

I don't despise people like you. :) There is no need when you have worked for all you have, and you have made choices in your life in the hope that they work out for the better, and it seems to me like they have. I'm still young and reading your story reminds me that I want to do better, and so do many other people but not everyone achieves that. Jealousy is always portrayed as a negative emotion but it can in fact be very positive and even life changing to some. I think generally we strive for better but not often does that happen. Sometimes it's easier and less soul destroying to just stick to what you have even though there is a lot of heart ache in knowing you want more. Ignore the negativity against people like yourself because you have done well and you are doing YOUR best for your children.

OrmIrian · 24/11/2011 16:00

Or

midwife "It's a baby.....erm...cat?"
mother "But I'm allergic to cats!"

ageperfect · 24/11/2011 16:00

am i moving on MN with too much of a Wine while i am working?

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