Stay in Yuh Lane
As we go into the “Cyanival” season, my season, the season where I go as much fetes as my pocket would allow without me ending up destitute, eating wind pies and nothing chops (although that might help me get abs), I notice the usual comments being made by people who love watching other people pockets and judging them. To these people I just want to say a few things:
Don’t act like you’re superior to people because you don’t choose to spend your money the way they do. Everyone has different tastes, preferences, and priorities. Yours might be sneakers, someone else might be into cars, others into fitness, clothes, plants, doubles, other people man etc. It doesn’t really matter because it’s none of your business.
It’s perfectly fine if you don’t see the value in what someone else is spending money on, but always remember value is a personal and subjective idea. You ain’t no finance guru or bastion of prudence because you don’t spend money on fete tickets, alcohol or carnival costume.
Not everyone spending money on entertainment or things you consider luxuries or non-essential are spending their jockey shorts, rent or diaper money. I have in the past, on this page and the Youtube channel, given advice on how to manage your finances to achieve both short and long term goals (most of allyuh doh listen but “smalls”). Proper budgeting helps average people achieve things that seem impossible but even if they were born with a gold spoon or win the lotto or selling dr…(ok not that) it still is not your concern.
Stop judging people based on your circumstances. You might tell yourself you’re not judging, but throwing scorn on how people choose to spend money THEY earn is judging. A condescending tone regarding how much a gyal spend on shoes or a couple spend on vacation is judging. Comments like “you could never get me to spend that kind of money on X or Y or Z” or “must be nice to do X, Y or Z..” while your face sour, looking like you just take a straight shot of Campari (vile substance) is judging.
The worst though are the people that believe just because you’re single or have no kids that you have all these extra funds and even worse, you should use it to help them out. Plain talk bad manners, basically what you’re saying is that you having kids is stopping you from living your best life and my response to that is….”who send yuh?” Sorry, not sorry.
Anyway, stop watch how others spend their money (once it legal that is….moral is too subjective a yardstick). You didn’t help them make it, so don’t comment on how they spend it. Keep that saltiness to discussions with yourself and your therapist. Look inward and see if your righteous indignation isn’t coming from a place of pure, ugly, jealousy.
TANA
PS: we feteing starting this weekend!!