Dear Abby thread?

[hardlyluck]

Does anybody have any interest in discussing (read: arguing endlessly about) some of the better letters to Dear Abby...and her often tone deaf answers?

This is the one that made me think about it.

www.uexpress.com/dearabby/2018/1/4/1/mom-needs-more-help-with-newborn?utm_source=dearabby-fb&utm_medium=socialmarketing&utm_campaign=social

The letter writers judgy ass tone and “baby daddy...don’t even live together” gasp the horror😒, had me ready to write her off after the first paragraph.
Why is the word “no” so hard for some people?!

[teatime]

I had to learn that saying no was ok. That "no" was a complete sentence. I know I'm not unique in that.

Obviously the writer's language was judgmental and disrespectful with regard to the woman's living situation, but if I had a neighbor who was constantly doing that I'd feel put upon, too.

[Jesslfar]

I have book of Dear Abby from 1959. The letters are hilarious because it is all about being good wife to your husband.

[hardlyluck]

Jan 4, 2018 17:23:17 GMT -6 teatime said:

I had to learn that saying no was ok. That "no" was a complete sentence. I know I'm not unique in that.

Obviously the writer's language was judgmental and disrespectful with regard to the woman's living situation, but if I had a neighbor who was constantly doing that I'd feel put upon, too.

Feel put upon yes, irritated that they keep asking yes. Writing Dear Abby because you can’t possibly come up with a way to handle it yourself...

[teatime]

Jan 4, 2018 18:25:00 GMT -6 hardlyluck said:

Jan 4, 2018 17:23:17 GMT -6 teatime said:

I had to learn that saying no was ok. That "no" was a complete sentence. I know I'm not unique in that.

Obviously the writer's language was judgmental and disrespectful with regard to the woman's living situation, but if I had a neighbor who was constantly doing that I'd feel put upon, too.

Feel put upon yes, irritated that they keep asking yes. Writing Dear Abby because you can’t possibly come up with a way to handle it yourself...

Lol, true.  I'm guessing she needed to rant and feel validated. But yes, I didn't even think about that part

[thankfulsnail]

I can't stand Dear Abby, but I like advice columns in general. I love Dear Prudence.

This LW is a piece of work. I agree that the neighbor shouldn't be relying so heavily on LW, but LW really needs to say no. I can't believe she needed to write to Dear Abby to figure this out.

Sometimes, I think LWs just want someone/the columnist to tell them they're justified in the way they feel and aren't really needing advice at all.

[swivelchair5]

I am always up for discussing advice columns. Dear Prudence is my favorite, but Carolyn Hax is pretty good too.

[hardlyluck]

Really any advice column I’m up for dissecting😉
I think Ask Amy usually has some juicier letters.

[inthekitty]

I haven't read many lately, but I've always been an advice column junky and happy to dissect the responses and why mine would be better.

[teatime]

Did anyone see this one? Read the second one, not the psychic one. Although that promises to be interesting, too. www.slate.com/articles/life/dear_prudence/2017/09/dear_prudence_my_mother_in_law_says_she_s_psychic.html

[marygracerich]

Jan 5, 2018 18:03:53 GMT -6 teatime said:

Did anyone see this one? Read the second one, not the psychic one. Although that promises to be interesting, too. www.slate.com/articles/life/dear_prudence/2017/09/dear_prudence_my_mother_in_law_says_she_s_psychic.html

Oh my that woman is a monster. 😮 I don’t blame the daughter for a second. I wouldn’t talk to my mother after that either.
I am having trouble believing it’s true. There is no way the aesthetic of a wedding is more important than a girl that is “like a daughter” to her.

[hardlyluck]

I have a feeling that quite a few of the letters sent to advice columnists are total mud, but for the sake of entertainment I’m going to choose to believe them.

[joy]

Ask a Manager has some great stuff, too!

[thankfulsnail]

Jan 5, 2018 18:03:53 GMT -6 teatime said:

Did anyone see this one? Read the second one, not the psychic one. Although that promises to be interesting, too. www.slate.com/articles/life/dear_prudence/2017/09/dear_prudence_my_mother_in_law_says_she_s_psychic.html

Oh yes. That’s up there with the lady in a rich neighborhood who didn’t want to give candy to trick-or-treaters who came from other neighborhoods as the most terrible people to write into Dear Prudence.

[MrsNal]

Jan 5, 2018 18:03:53 GMT -6 teatime said:

Did anyone see this one? Read the second one, not the psychic one. Although that promises to be interesting, too. www.slate.com/articles/life/dear_prudence/2017/09/dear_prudence_my_mother_in_law_says_she_s_psychic.html

I remember that letter, that woman is a fucking monster.

[wesleycrusher]

I love to hate read advice columns, Dear Prudence is my favorite but I don't like NuPru as much.