Yeah but there’s lots of people who don’t deserve what they get.
She asked for money some people gave her money for whatever reason. The end. None of my business. Fair play to her actually.
Everything else is just judgmental crap IMNSHO. She did nothing wrong other than not living up to some peoples idea of how to go about your life.
Think of this, though. She didn’t have to tell anyone she paid off her debt, right? Couldn’t she conceivably have kept asking for money for years and years, profiting from people’s naivete and ignorance?
If she says, “I owe a lot, can anyone help?” and then takes the money she’s given and applies it to the debt, pays off the debt, and then that’s that, then good for her. No harm, no foul. But if she buys other things - extravagant things - based on the money she’s taking in, then bad. Bad her. And if she’s even contemplating a movie deal, evil her.
Yeah, she’s a real role-model. Screw all you poor people, it’s your own fault for not having a perky enough website.
Twist, did you read the article? She moved to a cheaper shared apartment in Brooklyn, and sold on eBay most of the high-dollar items she bought on her spending spree (she raised $13,300 from the web site; her debt was over $20,000; she paid off the rest of the debt via the sales and cheaper rent). Isn’t that what most credit counselors would recommend – simplify your lifestyle and sell unneeded assets?
She wasn’t complaining that she “wouldn’t” be able to afford expensive stuff – i.e., she wasn’t asking people to help her continue to buy those things; she was asking for help on past expenditures.
While I agree that this is hardly a dignified route to debt freedom and this woman is hardly someone to emulate, I also agree with Stoid (and Satan’s getting out his mittens): she was up front about the whole deal, and the scorn people are ladling on her is really uncalled for.
Yes, but most credit councellors wouldn’t recommend setting up a website to get other people to pay off the debt you created.
The scorn is not uncalled for. She opened herself up for it by going public in her search to avoid personal responsibility.
Why wouldn’t debt counselors want that? Does it not get rid of the person’s debt without their incurring of more debt? Heck, I’d think they’d be all for the idea.
I’m wondering what the tax burden on all that cash should be. After all, it’s either a gift or it’s earned income. I don’t really see it being earned income, though.
Look, there are people who default on loans all they time. They cost you money. Unless you gave this one money she didn’t cost you anything. There are lots and lots of beggers on the street, many there for some of the same reasons why this silly bitch started her site*. So why all the vitriol? She asked for money. Give it to her or don’t.
She found an easy way out of her problems. So what? She didn’t steal any money. She didn’t hurt anybody. People voluntarily gave her money. So she didn’t learn anything or become a better person by struggling her way out of the hole she created but so what? Why does this seem to bother so many people? I’d gobble up $20k if some gobshites would give me it.
*If it’s true.
Eh… we’re hostile because we’re all so pissed off that we didn’t think of it first.
Sooooooo…paying off the debt isn’t personal responsibility? Selling the stuff isn’t responsible? Moving to a lower-rent apartment isn’t responsible?
Her creditors are satisfied. Why aren’t you?
I’m happy for her. She got herself into a financial mess. Lots of people get into financial messes, some through no fault of their own, some through pure irresponsibility. How she got out of it was clever. It was begging, pure and simple, but it was smart begging. I’ve noticed that some people would rather give money to a beggar they are certain is honest than risk giving it to someone with a fake hardship story. I’ve seen a street beggar with a “need money for beer” sign get more than those with “need money to take the bus across town to get a job” signs. Sure, giving money for beer is less noble than giving money for food, but you know you didn’t get manipulated into giving it. Same with Karyn – no one would make up a story about spending all their money on expensive clothes, when they actually need it for their mother’s operation. So you know she’s a real person, and hence you can give her a buck without any doubt that you’re being tricked.
It was a smart solution to a fuck-up. It won’t work again, but I’m glad she recognized that she fucked up and was able to get herself out of it. Sure most people need and deserve $20,000 more than she does, but this money was only available to someone who was an honest, good-hearted dipshit, with the savvy to recognize it.
** Myron ** had it right. I think it’s a visceral response, and it boils down to jealousy.
I do not know for sure, of course, except in one or two real -life instances I’m personally aware of, but I feel comfortable with the speculation that a good percentage of the people* who feel a great deal of hostility towards this woman suffer from a lot of envy in their lives, feel like victims a good deal of the time, and are not very closely in touch with gratitude as a “life law” for want of a better term. Just my opinion, kick it down the block and into the sewer if you like.
NOTE: Please do not start bitching at me that I don’t know you, I’m off base, what the fuck ever. This speculation is not specific to any individual, and I do not mean it to be. If you think I’m completely full of shit, that’s great, you don’t fall into the percentage I’m referring to, ok? Thanks.
I think she sold her self-respect for $20 thou, and I hope she feels it was worth it.
Of course, I don’t have to respect her, and I don’t, any more than I respect anyone else who begs for money from total strangers in order to pay off a debt.
I posted this on my Livejournal and most of the replies were from people that really pissed at her. Linkie: http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=jurhael&itemid=353107
I hear what some of them are saying, but this woman honestly doesn’t bother me. I agree that she was irresponsible, but I also agree that what she did was honest and clever. It’s not like she had a gun to anyone’s head because people gave out of their own free wiil.
She doesn’t just have a movie deal, she has a book deal too. Hopefully she’ll be a little more responsible with the new found money she’ll no doubt get should these be successful. And I hope she will give to charity like she promised.
Why can we not be grateful for what we have and still think this woman is a pile of suck, nonetheless? Why should we not rip her to shreds, and the twits who choose to give her money?
Why should she get off scot-free, is what we ask.
Well some of you ask, anyway. If she was on fire, I would not cross the street to pour my ice water on her.
Just allowing yourself to be bailed out like this, even without asking to be, is shameful.
If I got $20K in the hole say, paying for college, or just paying my bills while trying to start a career living in NYC, and my parents offered to bail me out, I would probably let them. But only if they were my family, and only if they were well off financially.
And even if they volunteered to I would still be apprehensive, totally ashamed, and would not want it mentioned even amongst my closest friends.
And that’s if I spent the money trying to better myself and my family volunteered to bail me out.
This stupid broad blew $20 grand on trivial, selfish designer clothes and then went on national television saying she is proud that she found a way to get others to pay for it! Not only is her behavior reprehensible, but not finding her behavior that way is as well.
Any of you here who don’t see that are as lacking in character & responsibility as she is.
I didn’t see her Today show appearance (I only read about this today) but can someone who did tell me if Katie (or whoever interviewed her) even implied that she shouldn’t be proud of herself? Or did they just bubble about how great the crazy, kooky, wacky internet is.
In all seriousness, if a month from now I read that this cunt got beaten up for doing this, I will laugh. Shamelessly.
Ya know what? Anyone who can look at this:
and then says this:
has demonstrated conlcusively that their assessment of my character and understanding of what is honorable, dignified or even acceptable in the realm of human interaction is, well, pretty much worthless.
Ya know, I really hedged about adding that last bit, because I rarely post in BBQ. But that’s just how strongly negative I feel about this woman’s attitude & behavior… :mad:
While I don’t agree with Hail Ants final sentence, I do agree with his red one.
Maybe you should continue your predilection for rare Pit postings. A scary individual is he who wishes harm against anyone who has not harmed anyone but herself.
Some people sure find the strangest things to get worked up about.