You’d think that Prince Harry would be trying really hard to not cause even more controversy than he and his wife Meghan Markle have already caused, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The Duke of Sussex has just sparked fresh controversy after he said in a recent interview with Fast Company magazine that the job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic weren’t “all bad,” because he thought that people shouldn’t be working in jobs that they hate anyway.
Let’s put his comments into some context. Prince Harry was referring to mental health in the interview which was largely focused on him promoting his mental health-focused startup, BetterUp, and said that working in a job that doesn’t bring you joy could be very bad for your mental health.
We guess we see what he was getting at, as he also referenced his own job resignation, so to speak, in relation to him and Meghan stepping down as senior royals earlier this year. Of course, his situation is very different from everyone else’s, which is why his comments caused such a stir.
“Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated,” the 37-year-old told the magazine, adding that the many people who left their jobs during the pandemic either voluntarily or non-voluntarily inspired a much-needed cultural shift.
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“While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time.
We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening,” he continued. “This work has never been more important because people are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation.”
Many people took to social media to disagree with his comments, with several Twitter users suggesting that quitting a stressful job might sound like a good idea if you have other sources of income, but isn’t always possible for most. “He said people should quit and that’s not real life unless you’re very wealthy.
You need to put food on the table and clothe and house your family,” read one Twitter comment. “Unfortunately, for an average person, especially one who lives paycheck to paycheck, one who doesn’t have a trust fund….. it’s extremely hard. Joy is not always the goal, getting paid and providing for the family is,” said another Twitter user.
Another mocked: “He’s never worked a day in his life. Never had to pay a bill. Why would anyone waste their time with his opinion?” “Prince Harry would be the last person I’d pay attention to regarding work,” quipped another user, while someone else said, “How astoundingly disconnected from reality.” ”
How does he know he never worked a 9 to 5 job,” jibed another, which seemed to be a common comment on social media. There were, of course, people who took Prince Harry’s side and saw things from the mental health perspective. “It’s good to quit anything that is affecting your mental health,” a supporter wrote on Twitter.
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“Well said Prince Harry. You have to take the first step sometimes and that means leaving,” agreed another. “Totally Agree. Best to Walk away from Toxicity and an Environment you have no control over and are resistant to change. The Monarchy is one example,” yet another Twitter user said.