Something Chris Evans said last week on the radio about "people that do"

[keepyk]

I've been mulling over something CHRIS Evans said last week on his breakfast show. It instantly made me feel inadequate, crap and generally a bit sad.

It was something along the lines of "because we are people that do" the context was that the people that get to runfest, carfest, get to watch the GP in Monaco, run the marathon etc are people that 'do' .

I interpreted this as successful, physically fit and probably wealthy people are more disciplined and clear headed to 'do' instead of just thinking about doing things.

It bugged me. I think sometimes life is harder for some people, whether it's because of their socioeconomic situation, their health, their family's health etc surely we would all have fabulous lives if it was just a case of 'doing' instead of just thinking about it?

Sorry about my ramblings - I wonder if anyone else heard it....

Yep, I did! Made me feel a bit meh as well. I actually had every intention to go to run fest as we live quite close by but for £300+ to get the whole family in, there was no way we could manage it! I've decided to interpret his saying in my way, we "do" as stuff as a family like playing football in the garden or having fun in the park - just cause we can't afford all of the festival type events, we're going to be a family that "do" just by doing things together

I know it's not AIBU but yanbu.
I'm held back by the rotten luck of having crappy bowels and stomach, just IBS but it's caused damage so I really need to keep my health in check as I head into middle age. I can do things (work pt, work out, run etc) but only for a short amount of time and everything stops when I'm having problems.

I often wonder what it's like to not have to visit the loo all day and how much extra time those people have.

I’m part of running a club that relies on volunteers to keep it going , we also say there are those that do and those that don’t.

Some people just don’t ever bother to volunteer or offer to help , even for an hour or 2, even though their children benefit massively from it.

Chris Evans is a wanker and his whittering is banned from this house

i dont like him either.

He’s a prick! Constantly gets off by making people feel shit.

I didn't hear the broadcast but I don’t think he is so far removed from people to think that he is only taking about the 5%. Most people can ‘do’, whether its volunteering at their kids school/football team or being a positive example for their kids (see the threads about awful parenting!) in ways that do not involve money. I think he means getting involved in your community. Of course people with health problems etc may not be able to ‘do’ as much, but the vast majority could probably ‘do’ a lot more.

I think he may have not meant it like that but comes across as privileged. Though on his defence there's many things people could do that don't cost anything but many are simply not interested - our city has a programme of 8 free festivals and attendance at this weekends was terrible, some people don't do!

I didn't read it like that at all. I read it as being 'do' rather than think about it, talk about but never actually DO anything they say they want to do.

Example today. DH went for his second riding lesson at the age of 57. It cost him £25 . Borrowed a hat, and boots from the riding school. He is a doer (with significant MH issues. BPD & ASD but worked out a while ago that exercise is good for him and is trying to find something he will enjoy as well as walking in the countryside. )

I went to pick DD up from the pub and chatting to the couple at the bar. Told them about the riding today. Lots of ' Oh I'd love to do that' 'always wanted to do that but it's so expensive...don't know where to go... ' From 2 people in the pub since midday.. who had spent over £60 on lunch and drink'.

Priorities. If you really want to do something. Make it happen. There are literally hundreds of activities that cater for disabilities. From sailing to Scuba diving. Most of which are subsidised for disability. It's got very little to do with economics. Its mindset.

For as much as I'm not his biggest fan, I'd probably agree with him if he was meaning "there are people who do" and "people who don't" in terms of offering to organise something, volunteer, help others etc etc. We all see that on a local basis, you don't need to be running CarFest to think that.

Clearly there will be some people, some times who "can't" whether for health or wealth or whatever reasons. Ideally we / they wouldn't have the struggles they do.

But "can't" isn't the same as "don't" ..... and the world would be a nicer place if those of us who can, actually "did". Although that's probably preaching to the converted, because anyone who thinks similarly, probably already "does"!

Last Christmas he had his kid on talking about their favourite Christmas indulgent foods.

It totally struck a chord with me as it was on the last Friday before Christmas, the last school day before the 2 week break.

It made me think of the kids who for the next two weeks who would not be eating anything indulgent let alone getting any presents.
I cried, walking to work that day.

Happy for him and his wealth but so far removed from actual life.
Then he was talking about free kids rides at carfest.

He raises shedloads for charity I know but it made me so sad the difference between his child and millions of poor kids.

Great discussion

I agree I think it is mindset - about wanting to contribute to society. Which I do of course.

I feel that I am one that will volunteer and make things happen, but I think it triggered a 'I'm not enough' thought.

He does seem to set the bar extremely high sometimes! (I couldn't shuffle around a marathon at a drop of hat!)

Thanks for reminding me that as long as we all 'do' something in our own way to contribute to a better society then life should be better for everyone

Crisser62 yes me too - I often wonder how people that are really struggling financially manage to listen to it. It's a world completely out of reach for most.

Smallereveryday - I get this totally. I hope your husband loves his riding lessons - I'm sure he will 💕

It's only for your own conscious to decide if what you're doing is "enough".
We'll all go through times when we've more spare cash to donate, or time ..... yes, multi-million pound fundraisers can benefit many, but don't underestimate what an hour of your time can do for someone.

But this is true. There are obviously going to be stages of your life when you have more free time and so can volunteer or do exercise more easily but some people are better at creating time or just getting on with it than others.
I've always considered myself a "do-er" but am re-considering this as, at a New Year's Eve party, a friend and I were talking about starting running again - she has run religiously 3x a week since then (other than when ill) getting up at 6am to do so whereas I have set my alarm for that time on numerous occasions yet been for a run about 3x in total. There is nothing to stop me other than mindset.