Watching the news these days can feel like just receiving wave upon wave of bad news. But every once in a while, they give us a brief reprieve with a nice, cute little human interest story.
But...is it just me, or have these stories more and more often been kind of messed-up??? Like, I'm glad there's good people in the world helping out their fellow citizens, but...why do we live in a world where individual citizens have to step in because the government and healthcare systems have failed them?
If you're wondering what I'm talking about, here are 27 "heartwarming" stories that are honesty just very, very messed up and prove that we need to make some serious systematic changes.
1. Like...it's really sweet of people to donate vacation time to new moms. But why is the company not giving parents adequate maternity leave in the first place?
@GMA This is a horrifying story...co-workers making up for what employers aren’t providing IS NOT A FEEL-GOOD STORY. Damn is the US ever broken. 😡
2. These coworkers were also great, but again, why did this teacher with cancer not get unlimited sick days?
This is not a “feel good” story (though kudos to his colleagues!). It’s a story about the ways in which America sucks. https://t.co/cNodmQV6WW
3. Same goes for this nurse with leukemia.
This is not a heartwarming story, it's a dystopian nightmare.
4. This seven-year-old's family wasn't going to be able to afford the $10,000 expense for her first brain surgery (after insurance), so she started selling lemonade to raise money. But, uh...why is our healthcare system so bad that a seven-year-old can't get life-saving medical care?
Not a feel good story...an absolute disgrace... ‘I hope I make it’: 7-year-old Alabama girl selling lemonade to fund her own brain surgeries https://t.co/ySLNSG9qWC
Luckily, the article did post the family's donation page, which is now at almost $400K.
5. It's very sweet that this five-year-old wanted to pay off the school lunch debt of her classmates. But why are we giving five-year-olds "lunch debts" anyways?? Kids should not be in debt because they can't afford to eat.
This is NOT a feel-good story and we should all be deeply ashamed. https://t.co/ggZm7muQqd
6. Similarly, it's cool this high school set up a store for its students to purchase necessities through good deeds — but also, toilet paper is not a luxury that teenagers should have to earn for their families through good deeds?
@CNN You probably think this is some kind of feel-good story @CNN, but not being able to afford food and getting to eat something because you are hungry should be table stakes as a society.
7. It was really kind of this nurse to watch a sick man's dog until he was better. But why is there no system in place for situations like this?
I'm glad he didn't lose his dog. AND This is not a feel-good story. It's further evidence of systemic failures that refuse to offer support when individuals/communities are in need. https://t.co/IBFZa9bPje
8. I've got a lotttt of issues with the way workers are currently being treated, but I think they can all be summed up in how this worker getting a "goodie bag" for 27 years of loyal service was supposed to be a good thing.
Getting just a "goodie bag" after 27 whole years of perfect attendance is just not a feel good story
9. This man's town raised $12,000 to tip this pizza delivery man, which was super nice and generous!! But also...no 89-year-old should have to work.
Not a feel-good story. It's a horrifying indictment of this country that an 89-year-old man had to deliver pizzas because his social security didn't cover his bills. https://t.co/78gJk3wbmB
10. This video about a boy refilling potholes in his community was kind of cute on first glance. But when his efforts were met with...more equipment to keep filling potholes, I had to wonder why this task is falling to a 12-year-old.
Instead of the city to fix the damn potholes they gave this boy supplies to “make his job easier”. It’s not his fucking job. He is a child. Y’all make ridiculous shit into “feel good” stories when they are nothing of the sort. https://t.co/PCQwLrhr1I
11. Kudos to Ellen for helping this teacher out with her rent, but why do we live in a society where teachers can't pay their rent?
This is not a feel-good story.
12. Principals should NOT have to pick up a second job (when does he sleep???) in order to help out their students — 90 percent of whom are living under the poverty line, and some of who are homeless. We shouldn't even be in a situation where kids* are homeless.
🗣️🗣️ THIS IS NOT A FEEL GOOD STORY https://t.co/wBzl3Iean3
*Or anyone, for that matter.
13. I'm not really sure what's sweet or cute about a 90-year-old walking six miles to get a COVID vaccine. Oh, and did I mention it was through a foot of snow that had fallen the night before?
There’s a story being pitched as ‘heartwarming’ around a 90 y/o grandmother walking 6 miles to get her covid vaccine. That’s not heartwarming it’s tragic.
Here's the story they're talking about:
14. Black children being scared of the police — and some police trying to assuage their personal guilt about this matter through scaring them even further — is not a feel good story.
This is not heartwarming or sweet. This cop forced a child to talk to a scary stranger. She forced a family to stop their day and cater to her feelings. She proved that the cops can stop you anywhere, anytime, for no reason at all. ACAB, including and especially this cop. https://t.co/laIlRDBH4h
15. This kid is clearly very generous and sweet, but I just wish he lived in world where he didn't have to worry about homeless people being fed and could ask for something fun from Make-A-Wish.
It is NOT endearing or heartwarming to know that this child used his dying wish to feed the homeless. https://t.co/UxROJrmZpW
16. This teacher should NOT have had to work from her hospital bed, just hours after surgery with a fever of 102.
Absolutely not heartwarming https://t.co/LZDXJ9riZR
18. This "heartwarming" story about Home Depot employees building this kid a walker reallyyy glossed over the fact that the family's insurance company wouldn't pay for a real one for him.
19. An electric wheelchair for a child shouldn't have cost $20,000 in the first place.
THIS IS NOT A HEARTWARMING STORY. THIS IS NOT A HEARTWARMING STORY. This is a story about a country that has so failed its most vulnerable citizens they must rely on charity for essential medical equipment https://t.co/PvpK2E5Tkx
20. It's cool that KFC bought this woman a car and all. But maybe we could also raise the minimum wage so single mothers can afford to buy or rent cars and not have to walk an hour to work each way.
This is not heartwarming. It is a damning indictment that they could pay her enough to afford a car, they just don't. https://t.co/xrxH4hthTN
21. How many times do I need to say that the lives of homeless people should not depend on the kindness of children and teenagers???
HEARTWARMING: A South Florida high school senior is using his talents as a barber to help Overtown's homeless community. He not only gave them free haircuts, but also spent hundreds of dollars on food and daily essentials to give out https://t.co/gdQDFyj28W
22. I guess I need to say it again. Teenagers should not be responsible for providing life-saving care.
This is not a heartwarming story. This is a tale of societal collapse. https://t.co/NbQJSEOmGO
23. Nor should they have to give up their college savings so their parents can pay rent.
This is not a heartwarming story. This is ugly and unfair. Anyways here’s her go fund me https://t.co/HNpeyHT7Dx https://t.co/R1z9jgYX98
24. Or start a lemonade stand to help their sick parents.
The fact that an 11-year-old has to do this for her mother just so she can afford healthcare is not “heartwarming”... it’s a product of the system we live in and it’s despicable. https://t.co/AY9T0BUaES
25. I definitely think parents should be free to bring their kids to class! But I also think that childcare needs to be more accessible so parents don't have to care for the children during class!!!
people in countries with free childcare services and free education must be SO confused that this story is supposed to be heartwarming and not abjectly depressing https://t.co/Rb3ABL3ymY
26. 94-year-olds should NOT have to travel 600 miles to vote. Full stop.
This is not heartwarming. This is VOTER SUPPRESSION. https://t.co/GUkjwOfmwF