Caring more about what people think more than I thought

My American relative just said 'so you're a bean counter?' 'cos I may be working in accountancy. And when he said it, it really got to me, weird 'cos stuff like that usually doesn't. What a ****. :frown:

Reply 1

stanmoor

Don't let it get to you. What's his job - working in Mcdonalds? Just say "Yes, I'm a bean counter, but a £100k a year bean counter". Schmuck.!

Reply 2

naivesincerity

I dunno. What a cock though. Accountancy can be one of the most lucrative things you can do, despite it being 'bean counting'. Who gives a **** if it isn't analysing Virgil?

What did you reply?

Didn't have time to think and was trying to get rid of him so I just ignored it.

Reply 5

ph9

what's a 'bean counter'?

Reply 6

goodmen

Everyone cares about what people think about them. Otherwise we'd all walk around in potatoe bags and not wash

Reply 7

conservativebohemian

You should've attacked him with a knife.

Seriously though, don't care what others think, I know this is easier said than done but really, everybody feels **** and insecure and some try to ease this/ make themselves feel better by dissing others. That relative of yours might cry himself to sleep every night, who knows. Be proud of what you do because you enjoy it (I hope so) and don't let an arrogant idiot ruin a thing like that.

I have this uber-wealthy cousin whose father owns half the town and I used to be so envious of him, until I realised that he wasn't me :smile:

(how disgustingly cliche it may sound :p:

), have confidence in yourself and the roles will change.

Reply 8

Seoid

Just to add a negative note, I think you only get hurt by criticism when you already have some sort of insecurity about it yourself.

For example, if someone said to me "you're fat" I'd just laugh cos I know I'm not.

But one time my uncle's wife said "you're condescending like your mother" and to this day it haunts me because I wonder if it's true, about what made her say it (because it was totally out of the blue) and also because it's about my lovely mum.

Do you have some sort of insecurity about your job? Do you feel that people look down on it?

Reply 9

domlague

Hi,

Are you sure he wasn't meaning it jocularly? If someone said "oh, I'm an accountant", the obvious funny remark would be something along the lines of "so you really must like... counting beans?" In such a context it really isn't meant downgradingly, in fact I'd see it as fishing for a response from you about how interesting the job is (if this is the case - otherwise, as was mentioned, you can simply reply along the lines of "yeah, it gets boring at times, but at 10 grand a bean, you'd be surprised how fun it gets").

If it was meant maliciously, then he's a bit mentally deficient (or simply has appalling social awareness).

- Hope my 2p worth of insight helps somehow :smile:

,

- me.