to think it is impossible to make friends on Mumsnet without being accused of being in a CLIQUE?

[bibbitybobbitybloodyaxe]

Don't shout, theres a deary.

I've made loads of friends here! Don't classify it as a quiche at all!

Prefer the word Entourage.. [Grin]

Maryz - bet you have been accused of being in a clique. All of us who have ever casually said "oh hiya, alright mary?" on any random thread is accused of being cliquey at some point or other.

Even if we have never met another Mumsnetter in our lives.

Even if we post all over the boards on all sorts of topics offering all sorts of advice.

Even if we go days or weeks without posting.

If you dare to say "hi" to someone else or agree with them for two posts running - then the anti-clique brigade will come out accusing you of being all exclusive.

Pisses me off big-style, it does.

yo, Bibbers me ole mucker

I only have one or two friends on MN so not enough to even make a quiche with.

I was accused of being a sockpuppet the other night which was amusing and slightly unsettling. Maybe the sockpuppets is a quiche waiting to happen?

I just talk to whoever is here when I am, and whoever is on the threads I join in with.

Maryz

I know who the other person is......

Justine.

Noooo ! Don't say you forgot her !

You'll get struck by lightning or something.

You'll have to send her and extra big Christmas card now, with alcohol and chocolates.

I'm Justine.

I don't have any friends on MN.

Fo0ffys

Maryz forgot about you. F o r g o t.

Can't you make her have a christmassy nn or something ?

I don't like cliques myself, but, I have noticed there seems to be 2 kinda cliques, 1 I don't mind, the other I do. The 1 I don't mind, is the group that actually does have good advice, don't ram it down your throat, and don't take the huff when you disagree with them. The other, well, you can guess what I don't like lol, jump on anyone at the slightest indication that they might have a different opinion, or dare disagree with someone. I don't actually have any MN friends eithers ( lol am sad), but then, I don't actually post much.

The only quichiness that annoys me is on a thread started by a non-quiche poster, when several of the regulars come on and start bantering with each other totally off-topic. It's rude to the OP and to other posters on the thread who're trying to debate whatever point it is, and many posters on threads disappear at that point because it becomes just fun, random banter for the few regulars who do this a lot.

I don't mind quiche threads - I don't have the patience, time or dedication for them though and am a serial namechanger for fear of outing myself

I don't think anyone objects to posters saying hi or whatever, but some regulars seem blind to how rude it can seem and how off-putting to other posters (even many, many regulars who namechange or dislike this) it is to talk only to each other and derail a thread quickly and totally.

the thing is, with people grouping up in forums, what can sometimes be veiwed as debate forums, if there's a gang of friends, they risk not having imparticial advice of matters, and may be likely to not speak out on something for fear of not sticking by those friends. So people who aren't in the group of friends can be treated unfairly, and it ruined a debate and giving very honest answers if you're swayed by having people you know involved.

Just my veiw after using forums for... 7 years

I think this is the least cliquey board I've ever been on due to name changes...I haven't got a fucking clue who anyone is or who is friends with who.

The only mildly irritating thing is when what appears to be a group of friends, deliberately take a thread off topic with various twee/funny postings to one another because they've decided the topic is not worthy of a thread for whatever reason.

It can be a bit annoying having to post round them and scroll through the shite, but it's by no means a big deal and all part of forum 'life'.

Some of these posts absolutely sum up the ridiculousness of the quiche accusations.

People who 'have good advice and don't ram it down your throat' and 'people who hate you to disagree with them' are not cliques but merely two different types of poster who may appear together on a thread.

And I don't believe people deliberately take threads off topic but merely start joking and thread goes off at a tangent. I doubt there is any agenda and behind scenes PMing.

People are obsessed with cliques, have been accused of being in cliques with people I have never met and people I speak to occasionally, because we either share a viewpoint or have a joke.

It's clique-accusing gorn mad these days.

Bibbity, YANBU

Oh I do think some are deliberately taken off topic

Any thread where the OP mentions they don't like the world 'manshape' will be taken OT and a few of the threads that have been done to death....though obviously not by the OP who is often fairly new.

As I say, I don't find this board 'cliquey' at all...sometimes it lacks manners and etiquette towards the OP if some people decide it's not a worthy topic, but it's not a big deal imo.