Sunday, September 21, 2014

The perils of a generous heart

Women admire generosity in men, right up to the point that it negatively affects their own lives:
A multi-millionaire who gave away £16million to help cancer patients after his wife survived the disease has ended up losing his home, possessions and even his spouse.

Brian Burnie, who owns a recruitment business, paid for his wife Shirley's treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and became so inspired he devoted his life to helping other sufferers.

But after selling the family home, cars and possessions, the couple have divorced as Mrs Burnie reveals she could no longer put up with her husband's generosity.

Shirley and Brian Burnie divorced in 2012 after the 70-year-old businessman sold their 10-acre estate and all of their belongings when his wife was given the all-clear from breast cancer

Speaking for the first time since their 2012 split, Mrs Burnie told the Sunday Mirror: 'I didn't want to give everything away. I wanted security for us and our family.'
There are few things I find as annoying as women's charity with the money their husbands make. The fact that it is a form of conspicuous consumption rather than genuine charity couldn't be more obvious when it comes to their reluctance to doing the same with the money they earn themselves, or the money that they thought was going to provide them security.

You can't really blame the woman for not being happy with her husband giving away his wealth, on the other hand, it underlines that while he may have signed up for the "sickness or in health", she didn't sign up for "poverty or in wealth".

28 comments:

Kyle said...

What an evil bitch. She deserves shame. Wonder if Zacchaeus' wife did the same thing.

MichaelJMaier said...

I hope she flat falls on her face and is miserable the rest of her miserable life.

Hey whore? You have a roof? Food? Health? Then STFU.

The Master Distiller said...

What a cunt. You would think that she would be grateful to just be alive. If her husband made a fortune before, he can do it again. To quote the millenials, "Wow. Just wow!"

hank.jim said...

I don't believe in charity at this extent. Any material wealth is deserved based on hard work. Nonetheless, the wife should leave and the husband is doing fine as his conscience is clear.

The squandering of wealth still seems like what they are both doing. I can see the wife eventually seeking public assistance. Maybe the husband, having given everything away, will seek it too after his charity runs of cash with him as the broke benefactor.

grendel said...

They both seem a bit off. Why give it all away? Wouldn't 8-10 million be "Enough," maybe with more bequeathed in the will? And why would she leave when he's still providing perfectly well, if not so ostentatiously?

Ben Cohen said...

This type of failing is not confined to women. Men are just as greedy.

Dexter said...

she didn't sign up for "poverty or in wealth".

For richer or for poorer wasn't in the vows, I guess.

I guess in her mind there were asterisks next to each vow:

for better or for worse (if I get worse, you have to deal with it, if you get worse, we're done)
for richer or for poorer (so long as you're rich, we're good, if you get poor, we're done)
in sickness and in health (if I get sick, you gotta help me, if you get sick, I'm out of here)
until death do us part (or until I am no longer haaaaaapy, whichever comes first...)

Dexter said...

Male generosity is fine when it's a signal of having large resources that can be lavished on her. If the generosity cuts into the resource base, then it's a problem.

Stg58/Animal Mother said...

Women aren't generous typically with any money they make. If she wanted to give 16 million pounds to a cause of her choosing that would be fine, but he isn't.

1sexistpig2another said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
1sexistpig2another said...

Ben Cohen said...
This type of failing is not confined to women. Men are just as greedy.

And we get to hear about it all the time everywhere outside of the manosphere. Yet with all these greedy men why is it that divorce remains low in nations where men can monetarily benefit from divorce?

Stg58/Animal Mother said...

That's a great question, 1sp2a!

Anonymous said...

That's a great question, 1sp2a!

An even better question would be, which nations are these, and what's their immigration policy?

1sexistpig2another said...

An even better question would be, which nations are these, and what's their immigration policy?

Please enlighten me as to why these are better questions?

SarahsDaughter said...

"I've got mine" - the reality of women. Help those in need? Sure, so long as "I've got mine." Honor my vows? Sure, so long as "I've got mine." Sadly never experiencing the feeling of "I've got mine" because a covetous thirst is never quenched.

Stg58/Animal Mother said...

The wife in the OP is basically divorcing the guy because she disapproves of how he spends his money.

Rek. said...

http://www.mtv.com/shows/ex_and_the_why/the-ex-and-the-why-ep-13-full-episode/1729116/playlist/#id=1729116

S1E13 of The ex and the why? Chelsea is an alpha widow married to some gamma dude who'll go the extra mile to get her football "star" back - I am talking the divorce mile - only after having been reassured (or not as it turns out) about any mutual feelings. Best part her husband is a willing participant. MTV shows is just case study after case study.

Dexter said...

Please enlighten me as to why these are better questions?

Well duh maybe 2870b918-77c0-11e3-b9bd-000bcdcb8a73 (his name is large, it contains multitudes) intends to move to such a nation.

The Remnant said...

Another irony is that she most likely supports "charitable" public policies that rob Peter to pay Paul. By soaking her husband, she has advanced her sickening philosophy even beyond the voting booth.

CostelloM said...

"If her husband made a fortune before, he can do it again."

And I'm sure the court will cite that very fact when they impute income to him for purposes of his alimony payments.

Unknown said...

Did she ever think that perhaps her husband made a pledge while deep in prayer to save her life? That since wealth is meaningless, he would strive to help others no matter if she lived or died? I can think of nothing more nasty than leaving one's husband who gave his all to help you and then others. Yes, you would like a little bit of pragmatism, but let's be honest if you survived cancer at that late a date in life, then living in a small home with a bitty pension with a wonderful husband seems pretty nice.

Markku said...

Ireland: 15% crude divorce rate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce_demography

liberranter said...

Maybe I overlooked it, but I'm surprised that I didn't see the wife whine "it was OOOOUUUUUUURRRRRRR money! He had no right to make that decision without consulting me first!"

LP2021 Bank of LP Work in Progress said...

With dad/moms cancer stroke horrow show...I was not asked to be loose, free and generous to stroke, cancer now blindness foundations. I was asked to pay the bills and manage affairs. I am not generous with the captains money and I am hated for it by pple who already have plenty of money. Married women (boomers) insult me and shame me about "LP lives off mom and dads money", that is not the case, they do not know me or my life. In fact, I reply as, "and you live off your husbands money yet I remain single your misplaced henhousing should be asking me where the heck is my husband".

Yeah, a wife thinks its our money not his money. Sure, she spends his money freely but they swing to save her own income. Disgusting aspect of women, bad mood today with the wymen folk. Family want info as to where I am and what I am these days, that is if I am POA, if dads check goes to the the nursing home, etc. I cast the gold diggers off my path and they are pissed. They are animal extremist and gamblers. I have never spoke of my work or money in front of them for at least 15 years. Why trust a spending gambler?

LP2021 Bank of LP Work in Progress said...

The man of the house owns his money and her money. Yes, little girl, you can dress up and go to work and be mostly ineffective but your money is HIS.

LP2021 Bank of LP Work in Progress said...

sure, he wanted to do good to turn this situation around but the economy is poor and he just made a mistake. she should be grateful to him and care for him, do the same for him when he is ill.

Anonymous said...

Did any of the commenters actually read the article? He spent all their money, had stopped spending any time with his family, and wasn't leaving anything for his wife or kids.

Giving to one cause at the expense of your family responsibilities isn't "having a generous" heart - this is the kind of story I'd expect from a cult.

SirHamster said...

Did any of the commenters actually read the article? He spent all their money, had stopped spending any time with his family, and wasn't leaving anything for his wife or kids.

1. How he spends his money is his choice, seeing how he earned it. He still has an income stream in a pension, so it's not all the money.

2. "He still sees his grown-up children regularly". False accusation of not spending any time with family. You're also using one side of the story to judge his actions. What's his side of the story?

3. He doesn't have a wife anymore. If there is nothing for her, that is a feature, not a bug.

4. As for leaving something for his kids, it's again his choice. Note how he "grew up in a home without an indoor toilet and began working life as a grocery delivery boy aged 15." He seems to think that it would be better for them for them to make their own way instead of living off his work - and considering what he made of his life, how are you more qualified to tell him what lessons to impart to his kids?

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