@waterproofed
I like how you’re asking why it should bother you so much. It sounds like you have a visceral dislike to this kind of thing.
One of my favourite psychotherapists - Philippa Perry - has this theory that whenever we have an outsized emotional reaction to a behaviour or a situation, it’s normally because of some unresolved issue within us that is looking for a way to express itself.
Off the top of my head, do these pictures make you question your own parenting choices? Is it to do with how you’ve been parented and the emphasis/lack of emphasis on external appearances over internal feelings? Are you judging the parents for their superficiality? Is it because you were judged this way? Are you judging them because they are seeking external validation? Do you judge yourself when you seek external validation? Do you abhor feeling needy?
I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but I think it’s always more interesting to examine our own feelings instead of other people’s actions.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. I know a number of cases where a person has been very catty and snide, and sneered at things... and it's turned out they were bitter and jealous because of their own unresolved issues...
Eg, a man I know (I'll call him Steve,) sneeres at his DIL's father (Dave,) for having 20 friends over for a BBQ every other week, and being a 'sad twat' (his words,) going away to his mate's Florida villa twice a year for a break, and spending 10s of 1000s on buying a mercedes benz. He is also jealous of Dave's huge salary, big expensive house, and the fact he runs his own successful business (while he, himself earns minimum pay working in a store, and has to scrat for extra hours to make ends meet.)
Not a nice situation to be in, but according to people who know him, Steve's entire 'sad life' is entirely his own making, He has had many opportunities to improve his life, and has turned them all down. He has issues so deep-rooted, they'd need to cut him open to get to them.
It's blatantly obvious to everyone that Steve is crushingly bitter and jealous of his DIL's dad Dave. Steve has no friends, (not one!) no social life, his limited amount of extended family rarely see him, (once a year maybe for half a day,) and none of his work colleagues like him. They never ask him out to functions they arrange between themselves. (Not least because he mocked and berated them for it and said 'what kind of sad twat goes out with work colleagues?'
Similar tale with a couple of child free women I have known who are/were really nasty about mums and children, and have berated them to a shocking level, and also another woman I know who is a mum of 3 boys, and has been very vitriolic towards mums of girls and also towards the girls themselves.
Also, a woman I know spouts spiteful and demeaning remarks about/to every woman she knows who has got married, and is especially vile if they change their name to his. Trapped like a dog on a lead, owned like a big cow in a field (that is owned by a farmer,) tied down, wouldn't get me strapped to a man, being his domestic slave, fuck that. yada yada yada. She has said it all. 36 and never been in a relationship longer than 4 months (And Only been in 4 relationships!) NEVER had anyone ask her to marry him. Easy to see why she is so vitriolic. She is as jealous as fuck!!!
It's clear there are deeper issues at play. Especially as one of the childfree women has gone on to have a baby now, and the other one is currently TTC. Finally, the mum of 3 boys is pregnant again, and has recently discovered it's another boy, and is devastated beyond belief and has now admitted she so desperately wanted a girl.
As a number of posters have said, it's projecting... When people are nasty about others and their nice/joyous/fun situations it's because they don't have it. And they want it. The OP is clearly jealous of this woman on facebook, and also very bitter. It seems she has kids, so is clearly jealous no-one is bothered about them, or interested in her very much. Indeed, she has probably posted pics of her kids and got no 'likes...' so her vitriol and bile is being projected.
Not saying ALL people with no kids or just with boys is jealous of mums/mums with girls by the way (before anyone starts!) But the ones who are blatantly vile clearly are.
@blueskyeve You need to look deep inside yourself and find out why you feel this way. You seem to have some unresolved issues. You are definitely jealous of these people you deride, that much is clear.