to be irritated of people complaining about poverty when not poor

[JazbayGrapes]

ok, i get times are tough, and you may need to economize and go without things you're used to.
But not homeless, not starving, not going without essential medicines.
And the fact that you didn't go on holiday when your neighbor did is neither here not there.

Whilst I obviously agree that cutting down on one holiday a year, for example, is hardly ‘hardship’ it’s the tightening of belts & all relative to the individual.
The notion that you can only moan about finances if you are living off beans isn’t entirely fair either.

It's all relative, but I know what you mean. There's a big difference between spending all your money when you have plenty coming in and not having enough money coming in to begin with

Hmmm... complaining where? On social media, in person....

I think everybody is a bit moany at the moment. Also, you don't know everything about everyone right? A lot of people probably think I am doing ok, but I have some unexpected expenses that no one knows about.

No. This is Jacob Rees Mogg thinking - that as long as we have a roof over our head and food on the table (if only bread and dripping) we should ‘count our blessings’ (he’ll do that from his mansion of course).

It is not greedy or spoiled to expect that training for years and having a high responsibility job should be reflected in the pay you earn and a comfortable lifestyle.

Otherwise what’s the point? We’d all just work at Spar and fuck the job stress.

It’s a weird subservient attitude and it’s holding us all back.

Feeling grateful and not complaining about your falling standard of living because you are not homeless or starving or risking your health because you can’t afford medical care is a pretty ground level low baseline, isn’t it?

Yabu. Higher earners have bigger outgoings.

You're setting the bar very,very low aren't you?

I think it’s fine for people to be disappointed and frustrated they they can’t afford holidays or treats for their kids, or have to be cautious with their food shop if they didn’t before, particularly if their income hasn’t gone down.

If they are calling it “poverty” then yeah that’s unreasonable but I don’t think you have to accept the bare minimum and only be unhappy when you are literally homeless.

I really disagree with you OP.

Complaining about your lot isn't restricted to the very lowest bar, otherwise by that standard no European could ever complain about anything. But I do agree that people should be sensitive about where they complain about it.

Hmmm... complaining where? On social media, in person....

in person as well as on social media. I have family members like that. I don't want to start about Starbucks lates and iPhones, but exactly that sort of people.

Hmm, I might say to a friend "oh I'm gutted we can't afford to go on holiday this year". It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate my good fortune to still be able to afford other things. It's just normal conversation, we can't all be pollyanna all the time.

I’m very grateful I’m not starving or can use my heating but it shouldn’t be that we work ourselves for 50 years until retirement and that i should feel grateful for just that.

I work 12.5 hour days on my feet and would like to see a little of life and a certain standard of living (after training/ qualifications and long term service) for doing so. I don’t think that’s unreasonable tbh!

Everyone has different expectations in life. Most people are aware they aren’t in poverty and wouldn’t come out with insensitive comments around those that are struggling.

I have an 18 nth old phone and I do r but takeaway coffees very often!

so no one can complain about the CoL unless they're homeless? Riiiiiight.

Having a home, food and access to medicine and healthcare are absolute basics for every single person. So yes I think that bar is set way too low. People will be feeling the pinch in different ways but to separate them based on how much income they had to begin with isn't actually helpful.

Why shouldn’t people complain when their standard of living - whatever that may be - changes substantially because prices are rising, the economy is fucked, pensions are screwed, pay is frozen…?

Why is it only the people in the very worst of conditions and situations who are allowed to complain?

Hmm, I might say to a friend "oh I'm gutted we can't afford to go on holiday this year". It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate my good fortune to still be able to afford other things. It's just normal conversation, we can't all be pollyanna all the time.

More like - we will be literally STARVING without our usual x, y, z. No, you won't be starving. Or freezing to death. There are people who will face that. But not you.

Hrm dunno. I think it's not only ok but also necessary for people to raise their voices in protest at the political mismanagement that's got us to a hyper inflated low wage economy with a debt driven high value housing market.

I don't think it's particularly clever to call yourself poor when you're not though.

What sort of people? People who like a coffee and are disappointed that they can't afford one anymore? Of course it isn't actual poverty (and I'd be surprised if they're really saying it is) but it is disappointing. Whether people going without a coffee is a hardship or not probably depends on if you work in Starbucks or own a cafe or not.

I wholeheartedly disagree.
My husband and I have decent careers, one child and no crazy debts. Yet we are having to tighten the purse strings, can’t even consider a holiday, think twice about a weekend takeaway. The fact is, with our combined incomes, we shouldn’t have to live like this. We have worked hard to be where we are. We now see no benefits of this because of the dire state this country is in.
But apparently, I should be grateful because I’m not homeless and can still afford to eat. That’s not the attitude to have. We should want better!

Being pissed at falling standard of living is one thing.

Identifying yourself as "poor and starving" when you aren't is very irritating.

When the middle classes start moaning about stuff, the government feels obliged to listen I guess. So it’s not such a bad thing that this cohort is complaining.

If it were only “poor people” feeling the pinch, there would be no CoL energy payments etc and the government would not currently be looking into the issue of food prices.

I complain all the time about this country's services, poverty and general dire situation and I'm a millionaire. It's because I care on other people's behalf. Sorry that sounds really cheesy but what I mean is people with money can be pissed off for people without.

It’s not a competition though? Obviously is worse for people who are going without food and/or heating, but that doesn’t mean that nobody else can complain (unless they are complaining directly to someone they know is living in poverty and claiming their situation is the same?).

I complained to my DH that my back is sore because I’m heavily pregnant. That doesn’t mean that I don’t know I’m lucky to be pregnant… it’s the same thing.

people should be able to complain about losing out on the remaining luxuries in life. It should not only be the elite who get to have entertainment or food above subsistence grade.

i understand people want to be sensitive to the truly destitute, but everyone impacted by the economic crisis deserves to be heard. The in-fighting won’t help bring change.

Im not one of those people complaining about losing my holiday or my Starbucks either. My household has so far seen little impact from the economic crisis. My objection is on a moral basis. All people deserve better.