To think that comments on Mumsnet are a good indicator of what people in real life think, but may not say.

Something left wing and feminist doesn’t equate to a hellhole unless you’re a right wing misogynist.

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I think people on the internet in general tend to say exactly what they truly think, because unlike in real life, there's absolutely no comebacks. Especially on MN where you're allowed to switch from one anonymous name to another.

That said, I don't believe half the MNetters dishing out 'advice' would take that same advice themselves.

A lot of people on here seem to post a 'learned' MN response.

I think the demographic on here is a bit skewed, so it may not end up being the "average" opinion.

In general though yes I think people are more likely to be far blunter online (especially when anonymous) than they would be in real life. This can be good or bad depending on the topic.

YANBU

Similarly people wouldn’t react in the same way that they do on here.

On another thread about a 9yo blowing kisses to boys in her class, half the thread is saying she is sexually harassing the boys and one poster described a really quite funny story where she said “Think that’s bad, I used to flash the boys my knickers at primary school, didn’t do me harm I now have an electric mixing bowl and buy the naice ham from Waitrose so I’m living proof you can turn out ok” (I’m paraphrasing). So many posters were “WTF you are unhinged” or telling that poster how offended they are and “what has flashing knickers got to do with ham”. I did wonder are they REALLY that uptight IRL or do they rein it in and save the uptightness for MN

People are more blunt on here.

But it’s generally an echo chamber of leftie ‘be kind’ types. Basically people who indulge in their own virtue signalling and make it a competitive sport to outdo each other on being ‘progressive’

Lol. Amused at the thought of a world full of surrendered wives with their phones hidden inside their apron pockets, sneaking into the preserves larder to post leftie feminist things on MN while hubby's out at the Tory party whist drive.

I think it depends. MN would have you believe 95% of people voted Remain and then later for Corbyn in 2019.

The tarring and feathering approach to people having affairs is more extreme than you tend to see out in the wild.

But on parenting and manners and things where you really can’t say stuff to peoples faces I think what you read is probably more honest.

No, it’s a bit of a leftie feminist hell hole. A lot of women are not left wing, have lovely husbands and are quite happy with a feminine role. This place is a bit of an echo chamber and luckily doesn’t represent the real world.

I think MN responses are a bit worse than what the average person is thinking tbh. Because let's face it, if we're posting our opinions on here it's because we're opinionated types who like our own opinions enough to think the world should have the benefit of them. In RL I reckon a lot of people aren't bothered enough to have much opinion on things that don't directly effect them. So when Emma is waffling on about how her mum won't do free childcare, in RL, her colleagues aren't even really listening half the time, let alone thinking she's entitled and her mum has a right to enjoy her retirement.

Sadly, I agree. It might be polite but it's not a very honest way of behaving.

Yep - a woman at a playgroup told me she thought she might look into being surrogate because all her births had been so lovely. There was a few things I would have said to her if she’d posted that on here. As it was I had to reign myself in some

Of course people are more open on MN, that's part of why it exists I would imagine.
I've never "got" those who say you wouldn't say it to their face and want to respond Well duh. But don't.
People really shouldn't post on AIBU when it should be in the Relationships and I wish MNHQ would do something about this. Or the OPs who whine about the responses should, as my dear dead old dad would say, think on.

I like to think or hope not. I don’t think mumsnet is particularly representative of the wider population, I will say that. So on that basis no.