I (30M) live in a part of Asia. My younger sister (25F) is married to an American guy (32M) and lives in the US.
For context, I work freelance doing food delivery. Its really hard to find a full time job in my country right now, especially since companies here prefer people under 30. I’ve been applying for months but getting rejected. And my BIL (brother-in-law’s) knows this.
Since we rent our house here for years, he helps out with the bills, although we never asked. He sends about less than 60 bucks. Its not a much for an American, but it helps us a lot and I’ve always been grateful.
The issue started about 4 weeks ago. He asked me to check some damages in our rental house and write down the details. I admit, I messed up here. I was passive and procrastinated, so I didnt do it immediately.
Yesterday we had a video call, and he just went off on me. He said "I feel like you dont respect me." He kept asking why I haven’t done it, why I haven’t told my sister, etc. His tone was really harsh. I do apologized, but he didnt stop.
He started lecturing me about my life. Like a dad scolding his son. Asking why I haven’t found a "real job" yet, calling me lazy. When I tried to explain that the job market is tough here, he said I was "playing the victim."
I was so shocked I just stayed silent. My sister just sat there and said nothing.
I’m a non-confrontational person, so I just took it. But honestly, I feel like trash. It feels like because he helps us with 60 bucks, he owns me and my family. He thinks I’m just mooching off him, even though I never asked for money.
Is this just American culture? To be this blunt and hurtful? Or is he just being an asshole? Or am I or my family the asshole?
TL;DR: my BIL helps with rent for years. Exploded on me for not doing a task he asked, called me lazy and playing victim because I can’t find a corporate job to help paying basic bills. I feel humiliated by his way of talking.
NTA
Although Americans are more blunt than their Asian counterparts, your BIL is an asshole. Name-calling and humiliating you is rude and his ignorance is no excuse.
60 dollars a month does not give him a licence to treat you that way.