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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel more sad for Landeover employees than Andy Murray

132 replies

Blankscreen · 12/01/2019 01:24

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?

OP posts:
Unescorted · 12/01/2019 07:19

It is difficult for parts of the media to report the job losses caused in part by the uncertainty created by a political decision they supported. The pro remain media have a much more in depth coverage of the JLR and Ford losses.

CJsGoldfish · 12/01/2019 07:20

I feel compassion for both.

I'm good like that.

Ethel80 · 12/01/2019 07:24

There was a ridiculous amount of news coverage yesterday that you could be forgiven for thinking nothing else had happened at all yesterday.
It's sad for him and I hear he's done loads to promote women's tennis and equal pay which is brilliant but it's not the most important thing happening right now.

If it's like this when a tennis player retires, I'm finding a bunker when the queen dies.

SunshineP · 12/01/2019 07:26

I seem to be able to be sad for many people and things all at the same time. It's a gift

Neverunderfed · 12/01/2019 07:29

The two are entirely unrelated tbh. The news can cover more than one thing at a time.

LellyMcKelly · 12/01/2019 07:39

I don’t see why you have to feel more sorry for one than the other. In AM’s case, yes he’s been hugely successful and made a tonne of money, but he can no longer do the thing he loves most in the world.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 12/01/2019 07:51

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

It has nothing to do with Luck. It has everything to do with dedication, an unbelievable amount of hard work and many many sacrifices. Most people understand this. Which is why people feel sorry for a 31 year old who could arguably have another 5-6 years at the peak of his career being forced to quit.

When he coukd have been out with his friends he was playing tennis, when he was at school he'd get up early to practice, his whole life ajd that of his brother, has revolved around tennis. His success isnt luck. You've said that his retirement is down to his own body, which yes it is. Don't you see its not his choice either, or one that nornally would be expected in a 31 year old. How many 31 year olds do you now thats needed multiple operations on their hips. It isnt his choice, just like the JLR workers.

Yanu for pointing out that the Landrover employees are in a finacially worse situation, alhough i think everyone is aware of that. Nor are you unreasonable to say they are deserving of as much sympathy. But you are unreasonable to suggest his career was down to luck, you are unreasobable to compare two completely uncomparable sityations

babysharkah · 12/01/2019 07:57

Why would you compare the two, I don't get it. Do you think al the news should be just about JLR?

Jammydodger1981 · 12/01/2019 08:06

But JLR (and Ford) was announced on Thursday and was on the news all day (we have news 24 on at work so I get to see every story over and over again!). The BBC had lots and lots of coverage about it.

Yesterday’s main story was Andy Murray but they also had lots of coverage for the UC court case and the mum who’s fighting to have pollution added to her daughter’s death certificate too so it’s not like it was the only thing they talked about all day.

PattiStanger · 12/01/2019 08:11

Unless your sadness is somehow rationed or restricted it's perfectly OK to feel sad for both.

What an odd thing to post.

PotteringAlong · 12/01/2019 08:15

Well, by that thinking why feel sorry for the employees of JLR who will still have a roof over their heads and food and access to fire healthcare and education when there are refugees fleeing with nothing?

You can have compassion and feel for lots of situations.

PotteringAlong · 12/01/2019 08:15

*free healthcare and education, not fire

NorthernRunner · 12/01/2019 08:17

No I don’t feel the same.

Whilst Andy Murray will have money and many future job opportunities in commentating, he has sacrificed most of his life (and his families) to get to where it is now, for it to end painfully. That must be devastating.

I am from the midlands, and whilst I don’t live there anymore, I know of three people who work at the JLR factory. One of which was asked to take a redundancy. He was offered a cash pay out, or to pick a car of his choice 🤔
He has a young family and a mortgage, and there isn’t a boat load of jobs available in that area.
So yes that’s also desperately sad.

They are two, non comparable situations and I have sympathy for both.

Downtheroadfirstonleft · 12/01/2019 09:30

This is so mean spirited. Why can't we feel for Land Rover employees AND someone having to retire from something they love? It's not a competition.

Guineapiglet345 · 12/01/2019 09:31

I didn’t realise they were competing for my sympathy.

Canibuildasnowman · 12/01/2019 09:35

YAbu. I have sympathy for both. Different situations but both rubbishi.

Canibuildasnowman · 12/01/2019 09:36

That millionaire male sportsman has influenced women’s tennis in an incredibly positive way, in a way that other male payer never bothered to. Does that make any difference??

HauntedPencil · 12/01/2019 09:37

Why is this an either/or scenario?

Humans are capable of several chains of thought at the same time

Mookatron · 12/01/2019 09:41

I suppose the difference is that one is a personal story and the other one of public interest. I feel sorry for Andy Murray but he is not retiring due to a series of self interested decisions made by an elitist government.

flirtygirl · 12/01/2019 09:41

I can care about multiple things at once.
So I will feel sorry for both.

I won't feel sorry the land-rover employees who voted leave, even when land-rover had told them that a leave vote would mean eventual redundancies. They literally voted to lose their own jobs.

abetterplace · 12/01/2019 09:43

For me, watching BBC news from 8am this morning

Headlines
Andy Murray 15 mins
Papers about Andy Murray
Sport about Andy Murray

Surely something else is happening in the world?

flirtygirl · 12/01/2019 09:43

The Ford plant was also sad news but people in that area voted leave and now jobs are going because of Brexit. What did they expect?

I feel sorry for those who didn't vote leave and are losing their jobs.

Mrskeats · 12/01/2019 09:44

No comparing the two is ridiculous

The80sweregreat · 12/01/2019 09:45

Being successful then being knocked down again is a British thing and A M has had this in spades. Some of it was justified , some not.

I personally be grateful to him for winning Wimbledon and stopping the whole ' when will a Brit win there' speculation that went on for years. However, he'll never have to worry about money and I'm sure he'll still be able to have a knock about with his kids and do other projects tennis related. Being very rich cushions many blows.

i feel really sorry for those losing their jobs at Jaguar Land Rover a few will be at retirement age already I suppose but loads won't and will struggle. It's horrible and I hope they can find other jobs and have some support. It's really shit.

Mookatron · 12/01/2019 09:46

I never understand why sport is featured on the news at all tbh.