Madeleine Olivia #3 Complaining about commoners while gazing at myself in my Georgian Period Home

[Tom_Nook]

They basically want to change everything about that house. The video starts with Maddie talking about some work that needs doing that they didn't know about and the quote being really expensive.... then in a few minutes she's talking about major changes in every single room, so clearly money isn't actually an issue.

I think my favourite part was that instead of replastering the bathroom and just fixing the leak in the shower they're ripping the whole thing out and putting in brand new everything.

She talks about needing to sort out one of the rooms with another bed because of how many people are staying at Christmas (???.... is this really how people are choosing to model their houses!? I have no room for anyone to stay at Christmas or any other time and that's fine because my house isn't a hotel). Anyway then she talks about knocking through the wall between two of the rooms and how she doesn't care about it being a 3 bed. So which one is it!?


I stopped watching before the end because of how ridiculous it all is. It feels like rich, out of touch people trying to spend as much money as possible as quickly as possible without thinking about what they even want. The timing of the video was tone deaf considering the cost of living crisis in the UK and the energy prices increase hitting us all tomorrow. Meanwhile Maddie wants a chandelier in her dressing room (yes really).

 

[em_trenched530]

I watched just the luxury bag portion of her latest video because I was curious to see her justification (spolier: she just wanted it so badly). She nattered on endlessly about how people critique her and that people were legitimately angry when she moved house. Then, I couldn't help myself from scrolling through the comments. Most were unconditionally supportive except for this one, which Maddie herself replied to. It's not so much about veganism but sustainability and how Maddie has compromised her values and therefore her viewership.

Hi, I've been watching this channel for a few years, and while I personally am neutral about the changes in your content, I would like to hazard a guess as to why you have received backlash lately. You have curated a philosophy of "beginner's guide to sustainability" for this channel, which in the past included minimalism. You appear to now live by a less austere philosophy of "do what makes you happy," which I personally like to see. However, currently your happiness has a lot more to do with renovating your home and creating the aesthetic that you want, which from what you show in your videos, involves buying a lot of stuff. While you do still touch on sustainability (buying secondhand, buying local, prioritizing ethical values), the conversation of sustainability has outpaced you. Based on other channels that I watch, sustainability is now much more about degrowth and decreasing consumption. Buying secondhand or local can be flimsy excuses to disguise impulsive consumption.

In the past, when this channel was more minimalism based, you neatly packaged, commodified, and utilized parasocial relationships to sell that philosophy to your viewers. I can imagine that for viewers who bought that hook, line, and sinker then felt betrayed when you stopped buying your own product, per se, and started a journey of heightened consumption. You can do that because you have experienced an increase in capital (thanks to your trusty viewers who generate revenue for you!). Your viewers may be behind you financially, and so your increased consumption a) is not relevant to them and b) is not aligned with the sustainability conservation regarding degrowth.

Finally, you do appear to be somewhat in denial regarding your buying habits. You mentioned that you were a shopping addict in this video. In just the past month, I have raised my eyebrows at your justification for buying.

1) You are curating an aesthetic for your home, which is lovely, but you are jam-packing it full of decor for decor's sake. The garage does not need to be filled with books you do not read to achieve a cozy vibe.

2) You appear to engage with the sunk cost fallacy. Regarding the patio situation, you are justifying spending several thousand more pounds to achieve an immediate result simply because you are tackling part of an adjacent project. I understand workers are booked out, but you certainly could live with half a patio. In addition, considering painting/siding/pressure washing the sides of the structures is an added and unnecessary cost just for aesthetic purposes. I believe you can focus on maintenance over aesthetic for the time being and still enjoy your home.

3) In this video specifically, I saw a lot of impulsive buying. I can't recall the number of times you said "I think this is nice/this will look nice/I just wanted this for X." The handbag itself is not an issue. Your justification for buying it "I wanted it for me/to celebrate" is also not an issue. It's just that from the footage that you show, it looks like you are in a state of compulsive overconsumption, and that doesn't vibe with a lot of your audience who is here for sustainability. You had increasingly strange comments ("I want to pass this object down to my future daughter" and "every other YouTuber has a luxury handbag"), which I think were just you trying to justify the purchase to the viewers.

Finally, I understand YOUR frustration. You are not a product, you are a person. Your changes in values and life and therefore your content were not planned like a product campaign. You are doing what makes you happy. I would just like to suggest that instead of directing people who may critique you to unfollow or go to other channels to actually examine your own motivation for the changes in values and content. Why are you consuming so much more? Why does your home need to be full of stuff? Why would your audience be frustrated with viewing you spend more and show more stuff you've bought? Are you actually buying useful things, or do they just bring you joy? Both are valid in my mind, and I enjoy your content.

To which Maddie had this stellar response:

Wow I can’t imagine writing an essay like this about someone else’s life *sweating smiling emoji* I have answers to all of those questions and I don’t need to share them ️*shrug emoji*

This poor soul should have come here to type their heart out instead of Maddie's comments section!

 

[littlepoem]

Hello. I finally signed up here because... Madeleine Olivia deleted my comment on her latest video (dated 14 Jun 2022). I've attached a screenshot of it here, for your reference, but it looks like she's completely blocked me now. She referred to me specifically in her latest video ( youtu.be/BEJHMXIY1R4?t=1633 ) (I was the one who commented on her previous video, "You need to come out as no longer minimalist"), however she also made up some things that I never wrote. For example, I never said it was ridiculous to own two sets of scales. I never personally attacked her.

I believe she is harming people who are struggling for guidance in a consumerist society. If she wasn't making money off minimalism while filling her home with countless material goods, I wouldn't care at all about her. But she is at best misguided and at worst taking her audience for a ride. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

 

[Coffeeismysoul]

Can’t admire the flagstones without broadcasting her greed, so off putting. It’s all want, want, me, me

When you've completely renovated two houses in one of the most expensive parts of the UK before the age of 30, one of those houses being a georgian house with multiple bedrooms, you lose the right to use the phrase "If only we could afford to"

 

[grumpy_curry]

I'm so tired of her, her excesses, her food noises and ramblings. I can't make it through any of her videos now. It's not fun to watch someone who embraced minimalism and veganism become a excessive consumer who lies to herself about her morals, even going so far as to lecture her viewers about sustainability while basically ripping up her whole house because she "doesn't like it".

That's a trend I have observed with a lot of people these days and I can't for the life of me understand it. We have a housing crisis here too, and property has become really expensive. But still, anytime someone mentiones buying property they're like: ".... and then you have to add 100k to the price because I need to redo the whole inside too".

No? You don't? The bathroom might not be trendy and the tiles not to your taste, but it is functional? The kitchen might not be to your style but it works? What's wrong with leaving the layout as it is and NOT having that kitchen diner with the bifold doors (your heating bills will thank you)?

What's wrong with saving up, using what is there, not having it perfect the first time round? If you're struggling to afford a space in the first place, why not just not add more to that bill?

I know I sound like a crotchety old woman but it does seem to me my generation (Millenials) is so focused on getting that aesthetic they want right now that they're not in the least concerned about what this is doing to out planet.

And sure, it makes sense to think about things like central heating, solar panels etc. But it is ridiculous that millenial buyers in my country are so focused on getting their space absolutely perfect before they move in.

Its like there's no resilience to a state that doesn't fulfil expectations. There is no appreciation for the utility a thing brings, only their aEsThEtIc.

And there is some logic to it: "I will live here for the rest of my life so why not make it perfect right now".

Sure, if you only care about getting what you want, that's fine. But we complain and gripe about sustainability and climate change but then throw out a perfectly good kitchen just because it doesn't look the way we want it to.

 

[mcgee]

It annoys me now the way influencers like Maddie talk about travel like we should all be doing it now because we can and are so oblivious to the fact that there is a cost of living crisis and people’s disposable income is a lot less. Like yeah we haven’t been able to travel in a few years but just because now that people physically can it’s not that simple as travel and holidays have become even more of a luxury rather than a necessity for people.

It’s all well and good sitting in your Paris hotel room saying how we should get out travelling now we can while your income is a lot higher than your followers and you’re in a very privileged position.

 

[Bleurghgram]

Can’t we all just laugh at Maddie’s septic tank and get along 🥲

 

[Tom_Nook]

That comment is so well articulated and so polite! It's someone giving a genuine opinion in response to something that Maddie brought up and isn't intended to offend or hurt. Those observations are spot on. Clearly the expectation is that unless you're whole heartedly agreeing with her then you can't say anything. Short to the point comment- troll. Long well articulated comment- passive aggressive response. Might as well disable comments if you're only interested in the ones that are praising you.

As a viewer who only watches snippets but used to love her content I don't really know who she is or what her selling point is. When she was first discovering minimalism and veganism she was reflective and lived a modest lifestyle, which made her seem relatable. Her content was based on her values. Now her values are unclear and her content is 'rich posho renovating a big house, spending money on things she doesn't need and uploading 40 minute videos without actually saying anything'. People change, but the changes aren't always healthy and don't always bring happiness.

I didn't realise she's buying more books just to look nice. It's so unnecessary and wasteful. If they're old books like the ones in the living room then someone could actually have enjoyed reading them as well. I love my books and I love how they look, but because they're an expression of me, my reading habits and my personality. Not because they fit an aesthetic.

 

[cherryblossom12345]

Oh that clip annoyed me so much. I’m newly single, I drank wine as I put my new flat pack furniture together recently, and I probably cried afterwards. What hardship has she ever known.

Her story yesterday where she said to go for a walk if you haven’t been outside was so fucking patronising. I’d love to go for a walk through the woods to feel better but unfortunately my boss expects me to be at my job. And if I do find time, no I won’t do it without headphones because being alone with my own thoughts is crippling, ya dick.

Also to take the note of ‘oh just go outside for a walk’ speaks of her privilege of living in a relatively safe area where she can walk in the daytime. Lots of us, especially now it’s staying darker later in the mornings and getting darker earlier at night, don’t even see daylight hours when we work 8am to 5pm. And particularly being a woman, it’s so dangerous to go walking alone in the dark, so when are we supposed to go? In the precious lunch break we are usually working through and eating our lunch at our desks because we’re so overworked?

That definitely rubbed me up the wrong way, because any look at the news in the last couple of years would have shown her how privileged she is, when women are being killed just walking home from work or even in bright daylight when they’re walking alone. Completely oblivious.

 

[snarkvark]

Of course its questionable. Its not an absolute. There is plenty of discussion around this. A total vegan diet and lifestyle in its self is extreme. Having vegan meals a few times a week is a good idea, but totally restricting all animal products isn't a great idea. The fact that there are popular vegan alternative for eggs, bacon, yoghurt etc shows there is a demand for it, and these foods are highly processed and often contain no nutritional value. There is much advice to not give plant based milk to children, as, again, they contain nothing nutritional.

No, it's not debatable. The NHS and BDA(as well as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.and other bodies) literally say a plant-based diet is safe and healthy for all stages of life.

 

[ChamomilePee]

I see she's back hoovering up greenwashing money again - she had an insta post the other day promoting almonds (conveniently called UK almonds but it's actually the US almond industry). It's just so amazing that the almond industry really really loves the bees so much..... Farking BULLSHIT - the almond industry is responsible for large scale deaths of bee colonies in California due to the massive amounts of pesticides used. Literally type the words "bees" and "almonds" into google and there is a huge amount of information on this.

I guess Madeleine has found her niche as an influencer who is prepared to greenwash-shill anything for money - there are likely loads of business who want to tap into the 'sustainability' market she represents, hence the ads for palm oil, IKEA, shitty plastic electronics, and now the almond industry.

I wonder if the fact that she has sold out her values and ethics for dollars is part of her constant underlying unhappiness....nah, she's just a miserable entitled cow who is finally showing her true colours. This is who she is.

I bet Alex will be spending most of his time hiding out in the games-room to avoid her constant whining and moping.

Oh and I bet that chanel bag will go so well with her fugly lumpy porridge-coloured smock collection.

 

[Tom_Nook]

Non plant based diets are often just as unhealthy as a 'vegan junk food' diet. I'm not sure why so many people assume vegans/ people eating plant based just live off processed food and Greggs sausage rolls. It's possible to be plant based and healthy, it's also possible to be plant based and very unhealthy. Same with most other 'diets' for want of a better word.

 

[LittleBluebird]

That was a beautifully written point of feedback and Maddie gave such a shit response. I agree with all the points the commenter mentioned, and there totally right on all fronts.
What a weak response from Maddie.

 

[cherryblossom12345]

I like ‘she puts the AD in Madeleine’!

 

[Alloallo]

I genuinely feel like she is heading towards some sort of major emotional episode. I can't fathom how she thinks a vlog about a Chanel handbag is something her viewers are expecting or want? She's clearly defensive because she know the wheels are totally coming off. She really showed herself up with that response it read as spiteful and childish but then again.... she is

 

[MarthaFarkus]

I know we here have our issues with Madeleine but why do people do this? It’s so unnecessary.

 

[Geranium]

It looks like a scene in one of those murder mysteries set in England, the house where the middle aged murder suspect is living with their elderly mum who hasn’t changed the house since she inherited it from her parents…..

 

[TrudyJudy]

Honestly the thought of Alex in the bedroom makes my skin crawl, I think he’s a horrid person and tries to cover a lot of it by pretending he’s ‘only joking’. My husband won’t enter the room if I’m playing one of their videos and Alex is on screen. Maddie always laughs it off like a fool but you can tell he thinks he’s superior to her.

 

[TeaBiscuit]

It's weird, the effect money has on people. I see it so often on YouTube. A person is so enjoyable to watch in the beginning, but once the money starts flowing, they change (often not for the better) and become completely unrelatable to their core audience. They also start copping an attitude with their subscribers in the comment section and it doesn't seem to occur to them at all that these are the people who put them in the position they are currently enjoying.

I sometimes wonder if money would change me. I live a very simple life. I have everything I need and I can't really think of anything that I would buy simply because I had the means. I have a house. I've lived here a very long time and my children grew up within these walls. Would I move just because I could afford to do so? Probably not. All of my memories are here. I have one handbag. It is a denim bag with flowers embroidered on it. I bought it just out of college. Thirty-five years later, I'm still using it. I have no desire to buy another one because the bag I have still looks nice and it's in perfectly good condition.

I would love to take a holiday, though. A week in a little cottage on a quiet lake somewhere: just me, the sounds of nature, a crackling fire, and a big pile of books.

I don't think I know how to be extravagant. I can't even come up with a luxurious holiday fantasy.

 

[lythamstannes]

I watched the Aldi video. The amount of times she said "they don't have LENTILS or TOFU", she was loud all the shoppers must have heard her

I particularly enjoyed this woman's response to her in-depth content analysis of tinned tomatoes...