to be fed up of hearing 'I've worked hard for my money'

[newbluesofa]

Lots of chat on MN recently about taxes on high earners. So heard lots of 'we have this money because we work bloody hard for it' and honestly I'm sick of it and think the people who say it are selfish.

Nurses work incredibly hard, long shifts, difficult job. Carers provide absolutely essential service, again shift work, difficult hours, difficult job. Teachers provide essential work, I know multiple teachers and they all devote evenings, weekends, school holidays to the detriment of their own families. All of these jobs also have huge emotional tolls. So 'I've worked hard for my money' means nothing to me, because a lot of people work a lot harder for a lot less.

Precisely.
And you could start as a graduate on a salary of £2000 and buy a house in London for £4000
Ive seen the payslips from grandparents (and he wasnt a graduate).

He went on his own to see a new city he'd never been to before. Like when people go visit Nottingham, Birmingham, Edinburgh or even Manchester. He worked one evening and enjoyed the rest of his holiday.

I had this reverse oppression Olympics where you need to be looked down on for having any modicum of good in your life and things going well.

People who are severely disabled and those with severely disabled kids needs significant help. I think people will need support in down times to find employment, but it in my view a life on benefits (excluding health reasons) shouldn't be forever.

My 3rd year grant was paid because my parents were divorced quite painfully. Before that, they paid my living costs, and I had vacation jobs. But remember, in 1974 when I was selected for university, and I went to Bristol at 17, which was then as selective as Oxbridge, about 8% of the population were considered eligible for university education. I have paid 000,000 in tax since I graduated 50 years ago!

You would have to have been a graduate of a very poor university to take £2000 as a starting salary. In a charity job, in 1977 I earned £5k.

There is help in the form of therapy and other things if you are struggling. Don’t assume my life and situation has always been perfect, I did a lot to get myself into the right mindset and it wasn’t easy. Some people will never be able to get there and that’s ok, but some just can’t get out to victim mentality and simply don’t want to.

Therapy is not easy to access at all. Even if you are suicidal, you have to wait months for a short course of CBT.

I am not white. This is a completely different issue. I don't feel held back at all due to my race. I feel money plays a much larger part. I know many many people from ethnic minority backgrounds who have succeeded here. Our family included.

Kids have thrived education wise and have made good starts to their careers. DH has done well.

The only time I ever experienced racial abuse it was from a non-white person.

There you go lads we've solved it. If you're poor just pay for therapy to learn about a growth mindset. If you're homeless just get a job. One day you might be able to afford a holiday to Leeds!

Agree. The absence of provision is disgusting and it shouldn’t be that way.

I've never been shy of taking a risk. I am capable and confident, and generally (I think) considered quite pleasant and likeable. But I am not soppy. Most people are physically and mentally capable, and I am happy to help fund those who genuinely are not.

Your bitterness is showing 😂😂

I didn’t ask for your personal experience, I asked if you believe in white privilege? (As a general concept, not the extent to which it compares to other privilege, just its existence).

But there is no NHS therapy to help you get into a working mindset. NHS care is fire fighting at best.
If you want to navel gaze and be indulged about it, then you have to go private. Which is not going to happen if you are unemployed.
Plus, I don't think not having aspirations to work yourself into the ground and earns tons is actually a problem that needs addressing.

@pocklechip introducing the concept of white privilege was a bit of a stretch given the level of discussion shown so far on the thread

I'm actually enjoying the thread now I understand who I'm talking to better and the kind of people they are

Well, there you go then you were on £5000 in 1977. I graduated in 1997 and started on £12,000.
But by which time our house had gone up to 67,000 do you see the problem?

I came to the thread to disagree with you but seeing the other arguments against you has shamed me into rethinking, the mental gymnastics people do to defend themselves is fucking exhausting and embarrassing. God help us all.

Depends what you want in life, each to their own. But disagree about therapy, surely any therapy is good as it improves general mindset if it works which in turn helps.

bored and nothing to do…..mmmm wonder why

If it helps I've done a fair but of conceding, clarifying what I was actually trying to say and admitted it was a divisive post. But those posts are hard to find because I've been so active on the thread 😅

Well at the moment I'm breastfeeding my baby. Why are you here?

@pocklechip I don't think I understand your response to what I said. All your other posts seem to be agreeing that it's not all about hard work, but in response to mine you said something about comparing like with like and I shouldn't deny that some people work hard and earn well for it? I wasn't 'projecting' when I described my background - just using it as an example where very hard work got us low wage jobs (which we feel lucky to have).

And I think part of what @newbluesofa is saying is that there is an implied criticism when high earners say they worked hard for their money, because it implies proportionality - it's often said to explain/ justify/ rationalise high earning, which carries the implication that lower earning can be comparably explained. I don't feel personally criticised at all, but I do dislike the implication of proportionality between 'hard work' (and/ or choice, and/ or sacrifices) and pay, when so many other factors have such a big part to play in how much someone earns.

Read between the lines if you can.

No answer given 😂😂

Also, @PrawnsForDinner , I just have to ask - you've made very clear that you married a high earner, and that what's his is yours. Did you work hard to catch him? Do you feel you work hard for that joint money? What form does that labour take?

Am I answerable to you? Don’t think so……