Are you a 'real person'?
I’m often told it’s important that I help ‘real people’. I’m sure many reading that will nod their head in agreement. Yet stop for a second, what exactly counts as a real person?
This is a genuine conundrum, as it’s often a phrase used against me covering a particular subject. The comments on the MSE forum and on Twitter and Facebook include things like the following (this is from memory, so not word-accurate, but the sentiment is right):
"You did that money makeover, but while she may’ve had £16,000 of debt, she was a teacher with a good job, why don’t you help real people?
And in the last few weeks:
"When are you going to stop the stuff about ISA rates or reclaiming PPI and start dealing with the issues real people face?"
And to cap it off:
"Why are you focusing on all those people scrounging on benefits? When are you going to help hard-working, real people?"
So who are the real people out there? I think it’s slightly sad that people don’t think those who aren’t in the same boat as them are deserving of information or help – even in these tough times, we need be tolerant of others.
I started by asking "are you a real person?" But perhaps a better question would be to ask "who isn’t real?"
Related past blogs / news
- A blog in support of stupid people’s rights (probably the most important blog I’ve ever written)
- "I’m on benefits but I’m no scrounger"
- Wish I’d been stupid enough to get PPI in the first place
Have your say
This is an open discussion but the comments do not represent the views of MSE. We want everyone to enjoy using our site but spam, bullying and offensive comments will not be tolerated. Posts may be deleted and repeat offenders blocked at our discretion. Please contact fbteam@moneysavingexpert.com if you wish to report any comments.