Comments on: Amanda Palmer cancels part of her tour to care for a friend with cancer

By: sievetronix

sievetronix — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:06:00 +0000

Look it wasn’t even really about her. It was about the implication that everyone else in the world (or at least most of the people in the world) wouldn’t do this for a lover, relative, friend ect. Many would but the option to take time off from work, family and other obligations is simply impossible. Many people would do that even if it would cause them hardship, but hardship(and this is a very subjective term) is not the same as survival and I don’t like the implication that someone with money and the means to do so gets super extra good people points. It it is another backhanded way people with money get to look down on the poor, working class and others who simply cannot drop everything to be by someones side no matter how much they want to.

If you can do it great. But never say…and I quote.
“Many (most?) people in the world do not have a friend who would do this.”

Many do have that friend/family/support group but they can’t.

By: mindysan33

mindysan33 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:01:00 +0000

My point was How do you know that this decision does not mean a financial hardship for her? I’m not saying it is or isn’t, because I don’t know. You are making an assumption about her situation. She is not doing the thing which pays her bills. Also, there really is no sort of security in cultural careers like this, so there is that.
[edited for clarity]
Also – note that chgoliz says “friends” not family. I think he has a point about some not taking this sort of time out for friends (family, of course usually goes without saying).

By: chgoliz

chgoliz — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:53:00 +0000

That wasn’t an implication, it was a statement (of amazement, of envy, of witness).

Statistically, couples in which one spouse gets a major medical diagnosis have a much higher likelihood of breaking up than the average couple. Friends mean well, but weeks turn into months and you still haven’t heard from them.

It has nothing to do with income level. What percentage is fear, or laziness, or selfishness, I don’t know. But the fact is, this level of commitment to a friend in need is remarkable because it is so rare.

By: mindysan33

mindysan33 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:52:00 +0000

I also suspect (at least for some haters) a certain level of sexism.

By: chgoliz

chgoliz — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:46:00 +0000

Most people don’t work a job that takes them all over the world and is such that NO ONE (literally) can take their place if they are unable to show up to work on a particular day.

If she had a “normal” day job in the local area, she wouldn’t have to quit for a year in order to be there for her friend. It is the particular circumstances of her work, rather than finances, that drive this decision.

By: technosean

technosean — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:23:00 +0000

May you all have such beautiful people in your life.

By: toyg

toyg — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:45:00 +0000

It’s just Newtonian physics. She’s very active and successful in self-publicizing (and rightly so), hence the reaction.

Also known as: haters gonna hate.

By: MrWednesday7

MrWednesday7 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Haters got to hate.

By: sievetronix

sievetronix — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:27:00 +0000

Really? Look, I responded because there was an implication that most people wouldn’t be there for their friends wouldn’t be there for their friends, spouses,kids ect ect. When in reality they can’t, they can’t afford it.

And no I don’t know her personal finances but I can guess she can afford it, because she is doing it.

By: mindysan33

mindysan33 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:57:00 +0000

Agreed. You don’t like Palmer, fine. Don’t buy her albums, don’t got to her concerts, don’t read her blog, don’t follow her on the twitters, etc and so on. I think there is a contingent of folks who just don’t like her and will never like her, and hence will just be critical of everything she does.

By: mindysan33

mindysan33 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:57:00 +0000

You have the inside track on her personal finances?

By: Cheri Elkins

Cheri Elkins — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Why are there even any negative/criticizing comments on this? It seems there a couple of Internet Contrarians on here. Let’s just be supportive, yeah?

By: sievetronix

sievetronix — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Most people in the world can’t afford to leave their jobs to do this.

By: Glenn Fleishman

Glenn Fleishman — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:15:00 +0000

You seem more passive aggressive than you used to be.

By: chgoliz

chgoliz — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:36:00 +0000

Many (most?) people in the world do not have a friend who would do this.

By: AwesomeRobot

AwesomeRobot — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:34:00 +0000

She seems nicer than she used to be.

By: ocker3

ocker3 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:57:00 +0000

It is a good thing to celebrate someone’s humanity