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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you take people at face value on here?

284 replies

mutznutz · 07/01/2011 22:12

You know some posters tend to enter a thread with "Well I'm a Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Head Teacher" or whatever...well do you give their post any more creedence because of it or do you just disregard it completely and read what they have to say as if they'd never mentioned it?

Bearing in mind any of us can be anything we claim to be?

Thanks in advance
Mutznutz OBE Grin

OP posts:
Hassled · 08/01/2011 13:03

I have told the odd little lie to protect the innocent - and to make sure I can't be identified. I'm struggling to think of an example - say I was moaning about a friend's DD being awful, I might say it was a DS (fairly pointless, I know). But strictly white lies.

Re qualifications - yes, I do tend to take people on face value. The "experts" I pay attention to - Moondog, Flowery, etc clearly are experts; there's no ambiguity there.

deemented · 08/01/2011 13:12

Hmm... I used to take people at face value... but well.. you all know what happened, so now i try to step back and get less involved.

InspirationalBreadbin · 08/01/2011 13:27

I have wondered whether OPs who are being told they are BU namechange and then agree with themselves that they are NBU! Grin

Or am I just suspicious and cynical?

FaffTastic · 08/01/2011 13:28

What did happen deemented?

deemented · 08/01/2011 13:30

I got sucked in by a troll.

Original poster
mutznutz · 08/01/2011 13:31

Inspirational I often wonder that. Or if a thread gets no replies and then it's bumped up a day later by someone arse licking the OP Blush

Alpinepony Pmsl...love it Grin

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 08/01/2011 13:33

I have been bitten a couple of times by taking people at their word on forums (not this one, not been here long enough yet!) but I prefer to take people at their word if I can til proved otherwise. I dont want to to be totally cynical!

ChippingIn · 08/01/2011 21:08

Mutz - I think you are a 'read' monkey - Grin (You had me worried for a minute there, I wondered what accidentally racist thing I could have possibly said in the middle of the night.... slight panic... LOL).

Dee - I know you were really hurt by it, lots of us were, differing in degree by how involved people were I guess. It still upsets me and it (and a couple of other 'lesser' things) have certainly made me more wary :(

I can see the point in changing small details to help avoid being 'outed' changing a DS to a DD adding or subtracting a year etc, slightly different locale or whatever...

I can't see the point in starting a thread about something that didn't really happen, but isn't too serious (row with MIL or something), I think you find attention seekers everywhere as well as people with a loose grip on 'the truth'.

But anyone who starts a 'serious' thread which is completely fabricated (DV, child abuse, serious money troubles resulting in gifts/cash being given) or who posts shitty horrible remarks on their own thread under another name to garner sympathy is beyond contempt in my book.

spikeycow · 08/01/2011 21:11

I try to take people at face value, and would hope people take me at face value. I've been accused of being 'not real' once and it's not nice.

ReindeerBollocks · 08/01/2011 22:07

My life reads a bit like a lie (potentially) due to the amount of crap we endure. I only wish it was lies. I use MN as I'm sick of boring my RL friends with my problems.

I am always surprised that people mention professions but if it's relevant good advice then I'd probably believe it.

I remember some trying to 'out' me on another forum regarding a medical condition. The consensus was that the known 'expert' would prove me a liar. The expert said I was right but didn't want to go into too much detail as although they knew briefly I was right, they didn't actually specialise in that area. That made me think some people do hold too much weight in what they are told online.

PenelopeTitsDropped · 09/01/2011 18:49

Mutz You were a complete fucking bitch on that forum. You and your mates.

You took it over with your spite and clique; and got rid of everyone worth having. Everyone worth having went. Roddi, Sprouty, all the nice peeps:all over a bit of tit, a rich cunt that should have had more sense; it was a witch hunt.

It was you and all the other PC fuckwits that ruined that forum

lochnessmumster · 09/01/2011 19:33

What i love about MN is the freedom anonimity gives you. I never say what i do etc. (not that it's in any way ineresting or glam), I just don't think you should feel the need to justify your opinion.

moogster1a · 09/01/2011 19:39

i'm spartacus

lochnessmumster · 09/01/2011 19:42

No, I'm spartacus.

BeerTricksPotter · 09/01/2011 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moogster1a · 09/01/2011 19:44

I am a shape

JamieLeeCurtis · 09/01/2011 19:45

I am Jamie Lee Curtis and look rather fetching in lycra. I also have a Phd

BeerTricksPotter · 09/01/2011 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Honeydragon · 09/01/2011 19:47

I am a triangle

JamieLeeCurtis · 09/01/2011 19:47

I'm not the messiah I'm a very naughty little boy

moogster1a · 09/01/2011 19:52

I am what I am , i don't want praise, I don't want pity

BeerTricksPotter · 09/01/2011 19:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lochnessmumster · 09/01/2011 20:00

I'm bloody starving, off to gorge on curry.

BeerTricksPotter · 09/01/2011 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Janos · 09/01/2011 20:04

Well, I don't make stuff up so I tend to take people at face value, but I do notice if something doesn't ring true. IYSWIM.