To feel more sad for Landeover employees than Andy Murray

[Blankscreen]

On the day that 000s of redundancies are announced at JLR I can't feel sad for a Millionaire sportsman who has had to retire due to his own body as opposed to someone else making the decision for him.

The new coverage of the two stories has really irritated me.

Does anyone else feel like this?

@Blankscreen I haven't read this story yet (going to look now!) I agree on your point of the employees losing jobs- but I also feel for Andy Murray as tennis is obviously a passion for him. I'd be devastated to be that talented and to have come so far in a career for it all then to come to a screeching halt.

YANBU. My BIL works at JLR. I'm praying he's not going to be one of the ones affected. However by doing that I have to tamper with the fact that if its not him. It could be someone elses partner/dad.
There's just no security at all, is there.
Still you can't worry about what hasnt happened, I don't suppose.

But how lucky he's been able to do something he loves for years and get amazingly well rewarded for it.

I don't see why it needs to be mutually exclusive but I do feel worse for the job losses. It is horrible for AM and people in his team will also lose their jobs when he retires but it isn't the same thing as the job losses at JLR. I did feel for AM when I watched his press conference, he's clearly devastated even if cushioned by his earned wealth. I suppose it comes down to job losses are never nice, but it is always easier when you don't have to worry about money.

No I dont feel like that. You can feel compassion for both situations. Its sad when anyone loses their job like that but equally for Andy Murray to be so successful, and for his career to have been such a major part of his life it must be devastating to have to stop now. Yes hes financially secure but he still had a good career ahead.

Theyre both sad but different events.

No, I don't feel the same OP. I love Andy Murray. He has been a pioneer for tennis, and for women's tennis.

I feel just as bad for the JLR redundancies, but can't see it as comparable. Sympathy isn't either/or. Andy Murray is a household name, a Wimbledon champion.

YABU to compare them.

YABVU to compare them. It’s not a race to the bottom. A man who has dedicated his life to his passion and is now unable to play anymore at such a young age has every right to be devastated (and I’m not a sports fan).

It’s as silly as saying you shouldn’t be sad if your grandma dies because people in Africa are dying every day.

All this jealousy and bitterness over money is not good. Money can buy a lot and make life more comfortable, but it can not buy you your health.

It’s not either or. I feel for the JLR staff and wanted to give Andy a hug (although I’m sure Kim and Judy have that covered). I don’t operate on the basis that sympathy has to be rationed.

JLR was the lead story on the BBC 6pm news. So I don’t really know why you are moaning about the media either.

YABU. The two things aren't comparable, as others have said. I have empathy for both situations. AM is having to quit something that he adores and has been his life,when he could otherwise have years left in his career, because he is in constant pain. It's not his fault that the press have given him attention today. I'm sure he would gladly sacrifice money to be able to put on a pair of shoes without being in pain.

Apples and oranges. Can't not feel for AM just because of redundancies elsewhere. I can't do anything for them but do think it's a shame, sad, etc and feel for them.

So because he has money, you shouldn’t feel sorry for him? Wow

YBVVVU Why can't you feel sorry for both?

AM is only 31 and otherwise in his prime. He is not retiring through choice, he is in a great deal of pain and was clearly heart broken at the decision. How can anyone not feel for him for that?

I don't really understand the need to make a choice, or compare one to the other. I wasn't aware that I had to pick only one issue at a time to feel compassionate about.

Yabu. It’s not an either or situation.

You clearly aren’t a sports fan. I’m not into tennis but he has clearly given joy to many many people over the years.

Just because someone has done well, professionally and financially, doesn't make them unworthy of empathy or sympathy. The guy has lost the ability to keep doing the sport that he has dedicated his life to, that he is passionate about. That's got to be devastating. OK, he won't suffer financially, unlike some of the people that are losing their jobs, but it's a massive blow.

Whereas for the people losing their jobs, hopefully it will be temporary blip, hopefully they will sooner or later find work elsewhere. That's not to understate the impact right now, I know how tough it is to lose your job - but I also know its possible to bounce back from that.

Andy Murray is unlikely to have that option.

Both are difficult, just in different ways, and I, and I suspect most people, have the capacity to feel for everyone affected.

There's been quite a lot of comments like the OP's on Twitter and it's really pissed me off. As if we have a finite amount of compassion that we dole out in miserly portions. We are actually capable of feeling for both the JLR employees and a young man who has to face the end of his career much earlier than he would have chosen to.

I am presuming you've never grieved for anyone you've loved and lost, OP, or never felt sad about a circumstance of your life? Because, you know, there are people far worse off than you who are suffering much more.

I suspect most people, have the capacity to feel for everyone affected.

Not the OP, clearly.

What a heartless and horrible comment about AM. You sound jealous of his success.

Would you have ever objected if your sponsors and work paid you a lot of money? Thought not.

YABU. It's possible to care about more than one thing at once.

Are you incapable of doing two things at once?

While having to give up tennis isn't going to cause AM financial hardship, it's still really sad. He's been an inspiration to a whole generation of kids. He's a much-loved public figure.

The JLR job losses make me angry, rather than sad. 4-5,000 households losing an income, at a time when the benefit system provides such a paltry level of support, is nothing less than tragic. And people voted for this.

But how lucky he's been able to do something he loves for years and get amazingly well rewarded for it.

Why do so many Britons despise British success? Is tennis a tad too elitist for you? Had he kicked a ball around for 90 minutes maybe that would have been more 'inclusive'.

There are many awful situations in the country and world. Worse than JLR. That doesn’t mean people in less awful situations shouldn’t have or express negative feelings about their own problems.

YANBU though to point out that mainstream media coverage is excessive on some things and lacking or non existent on others.

I don't feel like that. The news headlines always move on.

LandRover was lead story on Thurs, the day it was announced. A different story (Murray) was lead story on Friday.

Commentary pieces (on both) are in the weekend press.

Someone who has achieved success and is wealthy is not U to feel and express sadness about a decision, due to a painful injury, to stop doing their job before they had hoped to.