To think that reverse AIBUs are sock puppeting in another form?

[nenevomito]

Reverse AIBUs annoy the hell out of me - yes I hide them, but not usually until I've got to the page where the 'big reveal happens'.

They are pointless. All you are getting is one persons idea of what the person they pretend to be is thinking and when you consider that most posters will twist details to suit their POV; that its unlikely that the OP is a mind reader and most people have the emotional intelligence of a cucumber, its bloody unlikely that we'll be getting the full story

There's terms for someone who goes onto internet forums and pretends to be someone else to back up their own story just from their own point of view, its called a sock puppet or a troll.

But unless it's a very clear-cut YANBU the op always gets a pasting in aibu. By posting a reverse you are pretty much guaranteed to be vindicated which is why I think it's manipulative.

In all aibus a poster can include or omit whatever information they like, only if they really want an honest opinion, a fuller story will come out if the OP is the real person.

CamberwickGreen, you have a point, though I've been on other forums which were either over-modded or trolls ran free and at least here, the self regulating and watchedness of posters helps keep things in check imo.

Maryz, you are right, I also tend to put ex-mens' posts in the position of my own ex. I do try to be more objective, but I can't help it.

Its a form of trolling imo and bloody annoying

As much as I hate reverse AIBU's, I think people like the Yacht thread OP wouldn't feel the need to do it if MN wasn't so biased towards the women's POV.

As soon as he admitted it was a reverse and he was the Dad, I noticed a change in 'tone' and questioning from a few people.

I don't like reverse AIBU's, for the reasons that have already been stated.

It's often a one-sided, made up story based on how the OP imagines the other person to be feeling or behaving and quite often paints that person in the worst light possible (one thread in particular sticks in my mind for doing this, about access over Christmas).

And when the reverse is revealed, often several pages into the thread, I do think it makes people feel manipulated or suspicious of the OP and their motives. I certainly feel that way, regardless of whether the OP turns out to be a man or a woman/current partner or ex partner/parent or adult child etc and it makes it very difficult for me to then offer advice to them, because of the loss of trust in what they say.

I do wonder if he'd posted and said "I have all of these qualifications and experience. These are the safety measures I'd take - would it be reasonable to take 2 Dcs of this age sailing?" He would have got a good response IYSWIM

Exactly Mary!

It wasn't long before the question "Why does she hate you" and other personal questions sprang up.

I don't see what the buggery that has to do with anything.

Even if he'd shagged half the over 18's netball team...that would have nothing to do with him taking his kids on a boat.

I find them pointless and manipulative too. I also find the OP to be a little arrogant in assuming they know how the person they are pretending to be is thinking/feeling.

Wrt to reverse AIBU threads I wouldn't change my opinion because the OP turned out to be a man/the ex wife/the new wife, or whatever the reverse was, but I would start questioning the honesty of the OP. I'd wonder what they were leaving out/being dishonest about to make themselves looking like the reasonable one.