Can't stand people that don't understand personal bankruptcy...

[lillymarlene]

Clabbergirl, You are so right.

It is a shame that people tend to be so unsympathetic about things they've never experienced. Self-righteousness abounds.

A few years ago, my boyfriend and I attended a free seminar, for the alumni of my college, about how to start or succeed in your small business. I'm hard of hearing so Boyfriend sometimes acts as my ears. Afterwards he said, that I sure didn't miss anything, the last speaker was just somebody born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The speaker's parents had left him $250K and he just easily started up a little business. Boyfriend pointed out how things probably would have been different for me, if my father had of left me money, instead of dying heavily in debt, and (though I don't lay blame on anybody) encouraging me to grow my own debt mountain.

I think some people who are born wealthy, or who have been able to retain a nice "cushy" job all their life may never understand. They are able to just go through life in their "little plastic bubbles."

[IamOld]

Catleg, that's the same Calvinist (forgive me)/Puritan impulse that equates wealth with "Godliness" - and the same impulse that makes poor folks identify with the rich.

Can you imagine the horror if people actually knew what bankruptcy was? They'd have to change the law to make it even tougher, or bring back debtors prisons, or have DOE swat teams raiding houses at 6am, oh wait, they've done that last one :-)

[IamOld]

EXACTLY - they have no empathy of the rest of us - the 99% of us who actually have to work for a living!!!

Clabbergirl, You are so right.

A few years ago, my boyfriend and I attended a free seminar, for the alumni of my college, about how to start or succeed in your small business. I'm hard of hearing so Boyfriend sometimes acts as my ears. Afterwards he said, that I sure didn't miss anything, the last speaker was just somebody born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The speaker's parents had left him $250K and he just easily started up a little business. Boyfriend pointed out how things probably would have been different for me, if my father had of left me money, instead of dying heavily in debt, and (though I don't lay blame on anybody) encouraging me to grow my own debt mountain.

I think some people who are born wealthy, or who have been able to retain a nice "cushy" job all their life may never understand. They are able to just go through life in their "little plastic bubbles."

[Clabbergirl]

I agree, catleg. I think if more people were really informed about BK, there would be more filing. Lots know about debt consolidation plans, and feel those are things irresponsible people do, but are forgivable on some level. But BK? Especially Chapter 7? That's a whole 'nuther category of desperate. Hah.

And to BKattyMI, I was pretty matter-of-fact about a 7 once I made the decision (and I reached that with the help of those on this board), but I admit sitting in my attorney's office looking at the line at the bottom of the page which showed the total of exactly how much money I owed...well...it brought me to tears. It's like the reality of every train wreck I'd crawled out of during the last year boomeranged back to me at that moment and I sat there with it, looking at the financial wreck my life had become as the cherry on top. The guy passed me a box of tissue along with an ink pen to sign, and said, 'It's ok, it happens almost every time.'

And it was probably the most cathartic tears I've ever shed.

[IamOld]

:-) Sounds like a nice atty!

I agree, catleg. I think if more people were really informed about BK, there would be more filing. Lots know about debt consolidation plans, and feel those are things irresponsible people do, but are forgivable on some level. But BK? Especially Chapter 7? That's a whole 'nuther category of desperate. Hah.

And to BKattyMI, I was pretty matter-of-fact about a 7 once I made the decision (and I reached that with the help of those on this board), but I admit sitting in my attorney's office looking at the line at the bottom of the page which showed the total of exactly how much money I owed...well...it brought me to tears. It's like the reality of every train wreck I'd crawled out of during the last year boomeranged back to me at that moment and I sat there with it, looking at the financial wreck my life had become as the cherry on top. The guy passed me a box of tissue along with an ink pen to sign, and said, 'It's ok, it happens almost every time.'

And it was probably the most cathartic tears I've ever shed.

[catleg]

Probably a good time to drop in this video:

George Carlin

[addisonsmom]

Walt Disney, Mark Twain, Thomas Paine, Henry Ford, Milton Hershey, H. J. Heinz, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson all filed Bankruptcy. I hardly believe any of these great men were losers. Like you said life happens. Just goes to show you be great after BK. Best of luck and don't listen to those haters.

[espo1357]

Probably a good time to drop in this video:

George Carlin

My favorite part is "its a big club, and you ain't in it"...

good stuff.

[hopenpray]

Good posts. People who are down on bankruptcy are "drinking the kool-aid". While a lot of them are afluent, born with a silver spoon in their mouth, golden horseshoe up their a$$, etc., I know a lot of naysayers who are only denying the inevitable, living off of credit thinking that some miraculous windfall is coming their way and will get them out of the red. What they do not realize is that bankruptcy would save them if they would get off their high horse and accept their situation rather than looking a gift horse in the mouth. Sure, they may someday be able to pay off the enourmous mountain of debt they have gotten into if they are lucky enough to avoid life's pitfalls, but at what cost to them and their family? Five years and you are done at the most. Why spend 30 suffering, because of your ego?

[Isobel]

There are so many people in the world that don't have compassion. No matter how much education, intelligence, or experience they may have, they lack an open mind and heart. They will judge you, no matter what. Let them go and make room for the ones that do.