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The real world of milk
Jul. 11th, 2012 11:53 amI think I've ranted about the milky part of this post before, but what's the use of a good rant if you can't repeat yourself?
Driving home just now, I heard that the Radio 2 lunch time phone-in is yet again going to lambast some politician for admitting that he doesn't know the price of a pint of milk. Apparently this is proof that he doesn't live in the real world, but presumably lives on a pink cloud and gets silver unicorns to buy his milk from the friendly neighbourhood grocery dragon.
It always annoys me when the ability to quote the price of a pint of milk (specifically milk, as opposed to bread, potatoes or whatever) is taken as proof as being part of the "real world." For one thing, politicians can just learn it by rote. But I don't know the price of a pint of milk, either. We have an old-fashioned milkman who leaves milk on the doorstep, for which we pay by direct debit, which is budgeted for but on a monthly basis. When we need to top it up - which is very seldom - we almost always buy other items alongside the the price at the time, and I notice the price when shopping and add it up mentally, but I don't bother to remember it afterwards. It changes from shop to shop, anyway - and, besides, I'm more likely to buy 2 pint cartons, rather than single pints, anyway, since they're cheaper.
EDIT: I realise now that the above paragraph could read as if I'm sitting in some ivory tower of affluence, failing to understand what it's like to have to make every penny count. For this I apologise. However, even when we were living on a very tight budget, I had no idea what milk cost, because Pellinor was unemployed so did all the shopping. The last time this issue came up, I asked a lot of people if they knew the cost of a pint of milk. These included several people who really really struggle to get through the month financially. None of these people knew, either - one because they never used milk, one because their partner did all the shopping, and one because they always bought 4-pint packs since they were more cost effective, or else looked out for special offers and "reduced to clear" offers. None of them could quote off by heart the price of very much at all, even though the cost of their shopping was very important to them.
I also have no idea what stamps cost. This is probably indefensible.
What is this "real world" that people are lambasted for not living in? What is this "real life" that people are attacked for being out of touch with? Doesn't everyone live lives that are real to them. Everyone has their own fears and worries and tensions, no matter what their outward circumstances. Why are some lifestyles more "real" than others? And why does the ability to quote the price of a pint of milk (as opposed to a pound of potatoes or a loaf of bread) have anything to do with any of it?
Driving home just now, I heard that the Radio 2 lunch time phone-in is yet again going to lambast some politician for admitting that he doesn't know the price of a pint of milk. Apparently this is proof that he doesn't live in the real world, but presumably lives on a pink cloud and gets silver unicorns to buy his milk from the friendly neighbourhood grocery dragon.
It always annoys me when the ability to quote the price of a pint of milk (specifically milk, as opposed to bread, potatoes or whatever) is taken as proof as being part of the "real world." For one thing, politicians can just learn it by rote. But I don't know the price of a pint of milk, either. We have an old-fashioned milkman who leaves milk on the doorstep, for which we pay by direct debit, which is budgeted for but on a monthly basis. When we need to top it up - which is very seldom - we almost always buy other items alongside the the price at the time, and I notice the price when shopping and add it up mentally, but I don't bother to remember it afterwards. It changes from shop to shop, anyway - and, besides, I'm more likely to buy 2 pint cartons, rather than single pints, anyway, since they're cheaper.
EDIT: I realise now that the above paragraph could read as if I'm sitting in some ivory tower of affluence, failing to understand what it's like to have to make every penny count. For this I apologise. However, even when we were living on a very tight budget, I had no idea what milk cost, because Pellinor was unemployed so did all the shopping. The last time this issue came up, I asked a lot of people if they knew the cost of a pint of milk. These included several people who really really struggle to get through the month financially. None of these people knew, either - one because they never used milk, one because their partner did all the shopping, and one because they always bought 4-pint packs since they were more cost effective, or else looked out for special offers and "reduced to clear" offers. None of them could quote off by heart the price of very much at all, even though the cost of their shopping was very important to them.
I also have no idea what stamps cost. This is probably indefensible.
What is this "real world" that people are lambasted for not living in? What is this "real life" that people are attacked for being out of touch with? Doesn't everyone live lives that are real to them. Everyone has their own fears and worries and tensions, no matter what their outward circumstances. Why are some lifestyles more "real" than others? And why does the ability to quote the price of a pint of milk (as opposed to a pound of potatoes or a loaf of bread) have anything to do with any of it?
