Ridiculous media pressure

Thriftylady

Well, the email has been sent, I'll let you all know if they publish it.

They will probably edit it to make me sound like some sort of fun free killjoy, but honestly theres just no need to put that type of pressure on people, end of story!!

Willsnarf1983

i agree but more down the mens mags, i love FHM and MAXIM and Mens health and mens fitness but the amount of !!!!in adds in there for items that are ridiculously priced is unbelievable. The latest look, the latest gym equip.........!!!! if i wasn't so lazy i would use the gym that i currently pay for lol!!!

Will

sanfrancisco

agree agree agree. These magazines are the scum of the earth. Selling lives that don't exist.

Pobby

Same sort of stuff is also aimed at blokes except it`s even worse.Now I have to be a loser because I don`t drive an Audi TT!In an article I read yesterday,a lot of debt is being carried by the early 20 somethings.I know this to be true as I see it in my own family.

I would like to get my hands on the b-gger who lent my 18 year old god son £15k for a car.Sadly no one could talk him out of it.I am frightened that this is training kids to see debt as something that is to be encouraged.So £15k at 18,what is he likely to owe at 25!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Katharine

One of them seemed to suggest spending over a grand on renting an Aston Martin for the weekend was actually a thrifty option beacuse you wernt buying one at 160+k! Yes I would love to drive an Aston but !!!!!!!

Thriftylady

Well, I have to say I'm quite impressed. REAL magazine have emailed me back already to thank me for sharing my views. Doesn't sound like I've won their Star Letter then or I'm sure they would keep it as a nice surprise!

But anyway, as I predicted in an earlier post, they rather patronisingly pointed out to me that it was a light hearted article meant as entertainment and nothing more. I had actually mentioned in my email to them that I was aware that this sort of article is not meant to be taken as a serious set of instructions, so that explanation doesn't satisfy me......I still think its irresponsible.

However, don't think theres much point in trying to debate with them. They probably think I'm some bitter country type who's just jealous because I don't live the 'fabulous' life of a London magazine writer ! :rotfl:

Anyone for a shopping trip to New York to stock up on this seasons must haves, darlings?!!:rolleyes:

lady_fuschia

I think you've hit they've proved your point there really- Surely part of the problem is that it treats the spending of such huge amounts of money in such a frivolous light-hearted way. Even if you're not meant to take it seriously, it still creates that feeling of acceptability. Maybe if it just said "Go on a massive shopping spree" it wouldn't be as bad (almost!) its the way that £1000 is treated as such an off-hand matter. Imagine all the things you could do with that?!

laughing_cow

Thriftylady wrote:

However, don't think theres much point in trying to debate with them. They probably think I'm some bitter country type who's just jealous because I don't live the 'fabulous' life of a London magazine writer ! :rotfl:

:rotfl:
I've got a few journalist friends and they earn reasonable salaries, but nothing like the sort of salary needed to support the spending advocated in magazines!

I will confess that I like my mags, and my shoes, handbags etc. But magazines are becoming more and more unrealistic. At Christmas every year there's always a feature on what gifts to get people. It used to be a simple list - cd voucher for your brother, perfume for your best mate. Now it's usually something like this:
Mum - a spa trip
Dad - Hot air balloon trip
Brother - Playstation
Boyfriend - day racing cars
Best friend - designer handbag
Other friends/colleagues - toiletries from Space NK

By my rough reckoning that lot could cost you £1000+. :eek: (and even more if you accompany your mum on the spa trip!). And that's a pretty basic list - many of us also have to buy for an assortment of nephews/nieces/grandparents/aunties. How many of their readers earn those kind of salaries? 10%? 5%? - I bet it's less than that. I reckon most women who are out earning those kind of big buck salaries don't have the time to read magazines!

I get a nice Christmas bonus (£1000 before tax last year), but even that wouldn't be near enough for the spree they recommend. There wouldn't even be enough left to get myself a fancy gift - and that's not on!

lazy&indebt

Those magazines forced me to be materialistic (hence the debt!) this site has taught me not to be materialistic (hence paying it off!)
just wish people would realise they don't have to live life like Carrie from SATC to be happy! IT@S NOT REAL!!

Bargain_Rzl

lazy&indebt wrote:

just wish people would realise they don't have to live life like Carrie from SATC to be happy! IT@S NOT REAL!!

Speaking of which, how on earth can Carrie off SATC afford to have spent $40,000 on shoes (remember, when she realised she could have had a deposit on a house if she hadn't!), to wear a different top range designer outfit every single episode, and to eat out or go to a c0cktail bar EVERY DAY?! At least her friends' circumstances are almost believable (high powered businesswoman, high powered lawyer, daddy's little rich girl) but Carrie's supposed to be a jobbing journalist :rolleyes: