Madeleine Olivia

[doddie.windler]

Life cycle of the privileged:

0-18: This is a nice life, I hope I can have a similar one when I grow up, I can't see any reason why not. I just need to work hard like my parents tell me.

18-30ish: Starts uni, meets people of all backgrounds and releases how tough other people have it and nothing is guaranteed. Starts to live in squalor at uni, then gets a low paying job after graduation, and subconsciously worries they won't reach the lifestyle they grew up with. Convinces themselves they actually don't need that lifestyle, plus it's unfair anyway! Money doesn't even make you happy! Minimalism! Tiny houses! Sustainability! Private schools are the devil! Campaigning for anything and everything!

30ish onwards: Privilege most likely catches up with them, through connections, inheritance, education, partners, such that they are much more financially stable that the average person their age. Things like Madeleine being able to live rent free with relatives, potential gifts of money to help with house purchase. Realised they CAN live that life with a huge detached house in the countryside, in a fancy school district, maybe even private school. Oh, did I say I was a minimalist? Never mind...


* disclaimer: I made this for a bit of fun and of course it's not true 100%, and not trying to shame those who are or aren't privileged. I'm not even saying for certain that Madeleine did have this experience or outlook, just that if she did, she isn't the first person and sure as hell won't be the last. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Tom_Nook]

Things you'll never hear an influencer say:

'We're moving house because we feel that we've outgrown our current place. Because of everyone watching these videos and buying my books we can afford to buy somewhere much bigger. So thank you for all your support.'

Instead we get:

'We've been keeping a secret! Surprise sneak peaks! Buying our second property before the age of 30 with no stamp duty while people are literally dying in a pandemic is SO stressful. We only wanted to move somewhere with two living rooms but we've settled for just the one'

I've unsubscribed

 

[PiggyPoo]

I don't know if I want to follow her anymore. Her USP was minimalism, sustainability and veganism. Without that she's another smug, insufferable rich white girl place your bets, how long before that aga is used for a nice roast lamb LOL

 

[princessastrid]

did you see when she was talking about her “industrial” bed side tables that they were gifted and then she was going to SELL them on her Instagram to one of her followers?

one of the most grim things that influencers do is sell on stuff they got for free. Do you really need the money that bad or could you give them away to someone in need or doesn’t have enough for nice stuff?!

 

[gcpz]

Honestly screw her. I followed her for years and really enjoyed her content and her message, but it looks like all her minimalism and sustainability content was performance activism now. As soon as she saw the money rolling in, she gave up her morals for the excessive lifestyle she spent years slating

 

[doddie.windler]

I'm am so conflicted on her latest post sharing that she's found the move hard because of lockdown. On one hand, we all have our own relative struggles, and I also agree that instagram shouldn't just be a highlight reel. I don't deny that she's found it hard, and I truly sympathise with her anxiety struggles.

On the other hand, I'm really not sure she has any right to publicly complain. Firstly, they moved because of the pandemic. They didn't have to pay stamp duty, which is a huge deal, and they were financially stable enough that they could take that incentive, and move during a pandemic while plenty of others would not have been able to because of job insecurity. In addition, they aren't medically vulnerable, so could afford to do the move during a lockdown ( as moving would likely increase exposure slightly, which again many people wouldn't have been able to do).

Add to that the fact that they live in the county with the lowest coronavirus rates in the whole country, but also has empty beauty spots in abundance to enjoy, as well as the fact that her whole family arn't even that far away - so it's possible she's still able to meet them for one on one walks (this is a complete assumption by the way) whereas many people have been in different areas to their family so can't meet them for outdoor walks and can only zoom.

She's complaining about not having family help to move (real first world problem), and not being able to celebrate the move with them. That is 100% something you can do once it's over! It's not a pre-booked wedding that has had to be postponed to great expense, or a milestone birthday that you've had to spend alone. You can have a housewarming party on June 21st and it's virtually the same!

I genuinely can't think of someone who's had it easier during this pandemic than someone in her circumstances, aside from someone who owned an antibacterial gel company.

 

[Tom_Nook]

We get it. You've moved house. You don't need to take EVERY opportunity to brag.

Who has a 'favourite room' in someone else's house? Let alone someone they've never met/ whose house they've never visited!?

 

[Tom_Nook]

Each video feels like it's a vlog of Maddie wandering around talking about beams and changes that need to be made to the house before wandering through the garden pointing at things, showing a closeup of the dog, laughing at herself randomly and then showing a new Seasalt dress.

I think I'm going to stop watching and maybe revisit in a few months. At the minute I don't want to give her channel the views, especially with the something exciting happening at work and maybe I'll tell you one day, but of course I'll put it in my title as clickbait. No thanks.

I also noticed this comment. If people are calling you out it doesn't automatically mean they're obsessed with you just like how people calling you out aren't doing so because of your success.

 

[kalechips]

Sorry to double post.

I went to watch the new video and only got a minute in.

Since they moved house, pretty much all of her videos start with slow classical/ piano music and slower nature montages. The videos used to be more straight to the point and a lot less lingering nature shots and not all plinky plonky music in the intros.

Does that make sense, or am I projecting!? It feels like it's all a part of this new 'look at me slow living in my mansion' perfect lifestyle persona that she's pushing.

You're totally right

I'm so put off by influencers who try to push this like earth mother, nature loving cottage core image when they're jobs are literally to advertise brands and products that no one really needs. Maddie included. They're all contributing to consumerism en masse

 

[Mindovertime]

A minute into the new video she says it's 'seemingly part of the tradesmen culture not to turn up'. I used to really like Maddie, but after everything recently this for me is the last straw. Feels like her real entitled nature is really coming through. I'm unsubscribing.

 

[ChamomilePee]

Ugly dresses and stringy tresses in my #Georgian#Country#House

Sanding beams and cooking up schemes to fund my #Georgian #Country #House dreams

Sustainable minimalist was just a phase; now it's time for my viewers to pay

Buy my glasses! Buy my books! I need money for an inglenook

 

[ChamomilePee]

I used to quite enjoy her cooking videos but lately she just seems to be coming across as incredibly entitled and whiny. Buying loads of items from Etsy does not make you a minimalist - it's still just more stuff. I also think they probably buy a lot of stuff from regular stores but hide it because it doesn't fit in with their whole 'super-sustainable-minimalist' ethos. Gotta keep flogging her book after all.

I'm also really sick of Alex's curmudgeon act. Maybe he thinks he's being funny but he just comes across as sour and resentful in her videos. Also, the whole "I'm soooooo busy and overworked" and "you guys don't understand how stressful the life of a self-employed influencer is" is getting very old. The dog is really sweet though.

 

[AsterSalonen]

Showing off your half a million pound house (before the age of 30), your Smeg products and asking about interior designers feels a bit much at the moment.
There's a lot going on for people at the moment, none of it very nice, so maybe she should hold off a little. Show these videos a bit further down the line .

 

[Mindovertime]

This video she just released about what she does all day as a full time YouTuber was clearly meant to be a dig at the HaTeRs but it completely failed. As predicted, she barely does anything all day. A few brand shoots, some emails? In no way is this comparable to full time jobs most people are having to work. Girl is downright delusional.

 

[rainbowlemon]

We should be grateful that it isn't called 'Digging 16 beds in the garden of our Georgian house'

I was just thinking that!

Some more ideas: :

"Tips on buying a Georgian house".
"Why we didn't buy a listed Georgian house"
"Is buying a listed Georgian house ever worth it?"
"Starting an organic free range chicken farm at our Georgian house"
"How our organic free range chicken farm at our Georgian house is going"
"Foxes and our Georgian house "
"Painting our Georgian house with Farrow & Ball "
"First Christmas in our Georgian house"
"Georgian house library tour"
"We're becoming a family of three in our Georgian house"
"Painting a nursery in our Georgian house"

 

[slugella]

I don't come on here because I hate anyone. It's interesting to discuss influencer culture and a lot of it is quite damaging (including to them as it seems to negatively affect a lot of influencers' mental health, probs cos of comparison/their whole life being about the likes) and fake so I don't see the problem that there is a place to talk about it.

Also, now that influencers make a tonne of money from their followers, whether it being because they sell products or indirectly through ads, surely they are not above being called out when they do questionable things.

The influencer career is so new that I think it should be discussed as who knows how it will impact people long term e.g. influencers who use their kids for money or the mental health toll of the fake perfect life for insta.

Also, if an influencer has been supported by their followers, they should be able to question if the influencer then does something questionable. And any questions or comments about that kind of thing on their channels gets labelled as trolling so no wonder this place exists.

I don't come on here because I hate anyone. It's interesting to discuss influencer culture and a lot of it is quite damaging (including to them as it seems to negatively affect a lot of influencers' mental health, probs cos of comparison/their whole life being about the likes) and fake so I don't see the problem that there is a place to talk about it.

Also, now that influencers make a tonne of money from their followers, whether it being because they sell products or indirectly through ads, surely they are not above being called out when they do questionable things.

The influencer career is so new that I think it should be discussed as who knows how it will impact people long term e.g. influencers who use their kids for money or the mental health toll of the fake perfect life for insta.

Also, if an influencer has been supported by their followers, they should be able to question if the influencer then does something questionable. And any questions or comments about that kind of thing on their channels gets labelled as trolling so no wonder this place exists.

Could I have used the word question/questionable any more times

 

[Tom_Nook]

Self care obviously means different things to different people but for most of us it's carrying out basic tasks, like having a wash, making healthy meals even when we're tired, taking our medication, having an early night, taking a ten minute break from work, being on a year long waiting list for mental health services if we need it...

Influencers seem to like filming a 'self care day' which is completely unrelatable for most people and also a bit boring. I skipped through on double speed but watching rich people preach about self care while they have privilege and access to things most people don't is just getting boring now. We'd all LOVE to have regular therapy but that isn't possible for everyone and I don't need to be 'reminded by someone on YouTube that therapy is a great tool. WE KNOW.

'Selling you protein under the guise of self care in my Georgian Home'

 

[Tom_Nook]

This girl just finds anything to brag about. How about just simply, starting our vegetable garden? Next she'll be describing rooms by their size rather than function.

We should be grateful that it isn't called 'Digging 16 beds in the garden of our Georgian house'

 

[PineappleQueen19]

The shame of it is that Madeleine would have been so well placed to open up about how the worlds of sustainability/minimalism and influencing are colliding - the greenwashing, the consumerism, the fact that buying more can never be good for the planet, how the more stuff she rids herself of, the more unsolicited free ‘green’ stuff arrives at her door. How many sustainability influencers start off with the best intentions?

An open conversation about how to ethically walk that line would have been refreshing eg here’s my checklist for brands I won’t work with (do they pay fair wages, are they based off shore, do they pay tax etc), here’s what I have been struggling with as sustainability/minimalism influencer, here’s what I do with all the stuff I am sent, etc etc.

I suspect the anger she’s directing towards the dissenters is her own cognitive dissonance. She knows she sold out for the megabucks and deep down loathes herself for it but not as much as she loves the wealth and interpersonal power it’s brought her.

 

[ChamomilePee]

If we continually posted stuff in her YT comments or Instagram, or engaged with any of her supporters on those sites, THAT would be trolling. Coming to a completely separate site that is clearly named as a 'gossip' site is not trolling.

If Madeleine cannot stop herself from coming here and reading about herself, that is entirely her problem. The world does not revolve around her and her multiple neuroses.
Nobody is forcing her to trawl the internet for any mention of her name. I have never posted or commented on any of her social media but I AM entitled to have an opinion about, and critique, her online content here.