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Original poster

Has MN changed?

265 replies

Hichic · 07/08/2021 20:12

Do you think MN had changed since you joined? How did it used to be?

I have been here several years. A few years back it seemed quite nasty In places .but it seems better now. Does not seem to be so many attacks on posters or bun fights . Seems to be better debates without it getting overly nasty.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hichic · 07/08/2021 21:13

@ChaosTrulyReigns

Agree with PPs, the woth used to be more nuanced, sardonic. I think there's a lot of pisters now who are quite literal and would be horrified at some of the mickey take threads.

Smaller and cosier it was.

Still a incredible resource and a space for valuable debate

I lurk more than I post these days, some RL shit and diminishing eyesight make joining in effectively harder

Lovely to see some actual old faces on here, and some now anonymous faces, who I reckon I'd "know" of they revealed themselves.

Thanks to old and new

Gosh I have to name change alot I'm not a popular poster but sometimes it's just nice if others know who you are and you them as well.
OP posts:
Easyvision01 · 07/08/2021 21:13

-There are a lot more humourless people on here now.

  • There seem to be many more people who can’t read/comprehend what’s actually been said in a particular post and so go off all irate and half-cocked on a misunderstanding.
  • People ridiculously offended over next to nothing all of the fucking time.
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/08/2021 21:14

One of the big turning points for me where I feel the tone of the site definitely changed was last year after covid hit, and we all got an email off Justine asking us to subscribe to premium membership, alluding to not being able to “keep the lights on” as if Mumsnet was skint, they practically had the begging bowl out as if they were a 1900’s street corner seller with a bunch of ragged starving children to feed

IIRC she then made some snide comments on one thread about people who use this site and have ad-blockers

The whole thing was completely tone deaf, ill thought out and terrible timing, seemingly completely forgetting that we are the commodity that this site sells to advertisers

I agree, I left for a good while after that, really pissed me off. I'm back at the moment ,I'll go again at some point then dip in again no doubt.

It was MUCH friendlier 14 years ago, it was lovely seeing posters names you recognised. All the name changing has spoiled that now but I understand why people do. I saw Mrs Jay the other day and was so happy! Grin

It's not to snippy at the moment imo, there was a really hideous patch where posters were frothing at the mouth over nothing at all.

EarringsandLipstick · 07/08/2021 21:15

I'm not here that long, 5 years maybe now.

I get over-invested at times too much

I waste time on MN instead of facing to Important Stuff

I feel troll threads are massively increased, but also feel that I still get suckered.

I will forever be grateful for finding MN at a particular juncture, and the Relationships board. I learnt about emotional abuse and gaslighting. A 💡 moment.

I also like reading about women who really get their shit together & move on after horrible relationships. Gives me hope.

I agree that moderating is patchy; and a recent thread was eye-opening about thread deletions, with posters explaining they'd had threads deleted that were genuine. I really thought that MN knew 100%!

The lack of nuance, on some boards in particular, really bothers me.

Sometimes it's very funny. Some posters are hilarious.

Although my life is extremely busy, I'm quite lonely. I do find MN helps with that, there are people I can relate to.

Chosennone · 07/08/2021 21:15

When I joined in 2007 it was smaller. We had friends and there were lots of 'in jokes'. Some of us did that whole thing. Tou recognised people and people referred to each other in threads so much more. When you open an old thread via the search engine, particularly around 2005, people will be 'speaking to each other' and being quite polite nice to see you new mummy, hope you're baby is feeling better that kind of thing was a lot more common.
I think the piss taking and humour developed over time. Then the trolls and journalists changed the feel of the place.
It does feel more anonymous now, but equally you have to be very careful about what you reveal. In the early days hardly anyone name changed for content sensitivity reasons IMO.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/08/2021 21:15

ChaosTrulyReigns hooray, there's someone I recogniseSmile

Sssloou · 07/08/2021 21:16

I have been here since 2000. My involvement has evolved as I was frequently seeking help in the early years of parenting newborns, toddlers etc right through to education and discipline. I learnt so so much from wise women. This relationships board was critical to my life at one point - incredibly supportive and insightful. Now I rarely start threads but contribute where I can - mainly what I have learnt from others over the years. Life is quite predictable really.

A few years ago I found the AIBU area just mass bullying - some nasty people projecting and discharging their inner unresolved anger on to unsuspecting people.

That area seems to have calmed down but the frothing at the mouth (polarisation) seems to be on Covid and Royal Family which can be disturbing to read.

Would love to hear some of the old names if anyone can remember them.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/08/2021 21:16

When you open an old thread via the search engine, particularly around 2005, people will be 'speaking to each other' and being quite polite nice to see you new mummy, hope you're baby is feeling better that kind of thing was a lot more common yes definitely, I miss that.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 07/08/2021 21:17
DramaAlpaca · 07/08/2021 21:18

@Geamhradh thanks for clarifying, Mouldies was before my time so I missed all that kerfuffle.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 07/08/2021 21:19
321zyx · 07/08/2021 21:19

Where's 'Cod' these days?

ChaosTrulyReigns · 07/08/2021 21:19

exwhyzed cool name bro, took a while to work it out

I still do the divider thingy with great joy.

NOBODY can just let it be.

One would think in times of social distancing, others would embrace being slightly further apart, but woe, no. Shock

MangoJuggler · 07/08/2021 21:20
321zyx · 07/08/2021 21:21

.....have to admit to have been here 18(ish) years.....

ChaosTrulyReigns · 07/08/2021 21:21

God it's good to be back.

Srsly not pisted though!

Hiya all MNers old and medium and new. Gin

MargaretThursday · 07/08/2021 21:21

I've been here with various names for around 10 years.

I'd say more (or perhaps more obvious) trolls. There are times when you look Hmm at all the most active and think that if there is a grain of truth in them then it's well hidden.

I think there were more threads that were just funny. Sometimes someone posting in high dudgeon and people not taken them seriously, and others just lighthearted banter that were funny not nasty.

I've noticed, especially over the last 18 months, people are much less tolerant of different views. It seems that people are often looking for an echo chamber rather than really wanting to know how others think. It can be nasty with people tagging posters to say "see you're wrong" which more than slightly trips the line into bullying, especially when they do it on other threads that the poster hasn't been on.

Also the "deleted because I'm being told I'm wrong for privacy reasons" has become far more common.

EarringsandLipstick · 07/08/2021 21:23

I also have to say, I think the Woolly Hugs team are amazing. There for a very sad reason but what lovely kindness from everyone who organises it, supplies wool, knits.
💐

EarringsandLipstick · 07/08/2021 21:23

Also the "deleted because I'm being told I'm wrong for privacy reasons" has become far more common

So much this.

LIZS · 07/08/2021 21:23

There was also a weird thing where items were bought and sold regularly among the same group of posters, pushchairs especially until someone felt ripped off and it soured. Child modelling too, with one poster claiming to run an agency.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 07/08/2021 21:24

It’s not the same.

Posters used to be very clever and quick witted. The posts were fast and furious it did feel like being on onlooker at a party.

Posters were big names and you knew the and their mates. I didn’t dare try to join in.

Life isn’t the same as when I joined 11 years ago. Only a few names I recognise now.

I miss the funny threads. Don’t know why I’m still here really.

WitchBaby · 07/08/2021 21:25

I used to love a good shopping list thread in the old days.

I saw one posted a couple of months ago and the OP got told she was disgusting for picking up a germ infested piece of paper 😂

ShowOfHands · 07/08/2021 21:25

Mangoes!

Chaos matey, how's the fridge?

MN was funnier, smaller, kinder and more nuanced 18yrs ago. I made proper friends here.

Nowadays it's huge and aibu is a fricking cesspit.

blahblahblah321 · 07/08/2021 21:26

I've been on here for donkeys years - 2003/4 when DS was not the hairy nearly 18 year old he is now ShockGrin

It's changed I think, less cliquey. Most I can't be bothered with - AIBU? Yes you are! No I'm not! You get my drift...

MargaretThursday · 07/08/2021 21:27

@ChaosTrulyReigns

Was it your phone that went wrong and you posted pages with the same message? First time I remember dh asking what I was laughing about on MN and being unable to explain!