Is your Mumsnet personality the same as in real life?

[Rainbowheart1]

Mumsnet is known for how harsh/forward/rude posters can be, or known for posters being offended easily, or all piling in etc, so I was wondering if, how you are on Mumsnet, are you like that in real life? Or different?

Do you write posts and talk on them, about situations or to other posters how you would talk to someone face to face?

Is your “mumsnet personality” the same in real life?

I am often a bit taken aback on some threads at some of the advice that is given about people to LTB when they know very little about the partner being discussed. Sometimes I think they are too harsh or need more info. Lots of it.

I think in those cases there are definitely times when IRL they would offer very different advice - particularly if they also knew the persons partner too. Obvs on MN we’ve only got the OP’s views/story but, even still, I’m taken aback sometimes that people are so quick to scream abuse / LTB

@Sparklingbrook

there is a refreshing honesty online

But also free rein to make up anything you like and state it as fact. Because nobody will ever know...

Yes I agree that’s why one should not wholeheartedly take on what an online stranger says. Without a doubt people embellish or make up stuff on mn. It’s a risk on online, you need a healthy scepticism and to maintain your safety. There are also posters who live vicariously through someone else mn posts, imploring the op to take actions they themselves have not peg LTB.

There are also posters who live vicariously through someone else mn posts, imploring the op to take actions they themselves have not eg LTB.

Totally agree @EspressoDoubleShot, I think it took me a few months after joining MN to realise you can't always take posts at face value. People actually lie on here How naive was I?!

I'm not sure who I'd pretend to be on mn.
I think I would be a pearl- clutcher, maybe.

I am more Christian in rl than I am on here.
I am always aware that you are not allowed to come across as preaching on MN.
And I have to monitor my replies a bit also because in rl I would give more Christian answers.

Well, yes and no. The thing is, in real life people don’t tend to ask you outright if they’re being unreasonable with all the facts.

So in real life my friend might say ‘can you believe it, my mil refuses to babysit my daughter but she has my sil’s four kids every weekend.’ And I would say ‘god that’s so unfair you’d think she’d want to see all her grandkids.’ And that’s the end of it since I don’t know the mil and I’ll never hear her side of it.

But on aibu it will be set out so the op drip feeds that they have complained about mil’s childcare skills several times and wants their child to have an organic home cooked five course meal three times a day. So I’m more likely to say no wonder she doesn’t want to help you. It’s more objective so you can be more forward.

Also in real life certain topics aren’t really brought up naturally in conversation. So my friends have never said to me ‘what do you think, on a moral level, about smacking kids?’ Same with breastfeeding, nursery, all that type of stuff just isn’t really brought up as an argument in real life (for me). Of course I know some of my friends breastfed but they never told me why it was better than bottle feeding or anything like that. Whereas online people are more likely to say stuff like that.

100%

No. On mumsnet I try to become a storyteller, speak perfect English and be super level headed, with no strong opinions
In real life I say what I think, I’m short, upfront, to the point. I have lots of unpopular opinions that I keep to myself (nothing malicious).
Frankly I don’t like most people, they are too superficial.

@CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark Can we be friends then? I feel similarly about people. We can trade unpopular opinions and see where we go from there. Unless you already don't like me, then never mind.

Yep. Don't suffer fools gladly in RL and if someone asks my opinion I give it. But as a PP has said, the vast majority of posts on here would never happen to my friends as we're all old!

@IHaveBeenOnMNLongerThanYou yes let’s.
I would be very keen to have some real, straight up, non BS convos. No pandering. No pretending when someone shares something they have done or come up with as though its fucking novel and say, oh great idea, how clever of you. Instead of saying, god, you’re a bit late to the party ain’t ya?
Or, no, I don’t want to talk about you all dat, can we talk about something a bit more fucking interesting.

I don’t write anything on here that I wouldn’t say to someone’s face .

@CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark

Excited already. That's what I prefer. No beating about the bush trying to be what you're not or say what you don't mean. If you like something say it. If you don't like it, say it. We understand each other, know our hearts are in the right place (so no unnecessary malice) and carry on. If we don't get on, we move on - no hard feelings. Candour and no pretense.

Let me know if I can pm you or feel free to pm me. We'll go from there.

Wellllll mostly it is just bumping gums, really.

@lightand

I am more Christian in rl than I am on here. I am always aware that you are not allowed to come across as preaching on MN. And I have to monitor my replies a bit also because in rl I would give more Christian answers.

yeah, people don't take kindly to being preached at, or homophobia.

Mostly I'm the same person, I can be brutal in real life with people I know can take it (and are equally brutal with me) I have to remember to tone it down on here.
I always have a chuckle when someone opens a post with 'Gosh OP......' because I've never heard anyone say that in real life so if I was replying to that poster I would have mentally filed them as more delicate and respond accordingly.
I think we all have slightly different personalities in real life depending on who we are dealing with or maybe that's just me?
Generally I am sociable and will chat shit with anyone so probably the same as on here!