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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to dislike the easy name changing on Mn?

139 replies

Mintyy · 27/11/2013 20:39

Call me old fashioned, but I sort of like getting to know, in the very loosest sense, the people that I spend time with fairly regularly (ie. you lot).

I sometimes think that the dreaded Mumsnet Royalty (sorry for using that hateful phrase which is always but always used as an attack, goady, personal or otherwise) are just people who don't name change and so more or less everyone knows who they are.

I can understand name changing for the personal stuff, of course I can and do it myself, but why do people permanently name change every few weeks or months? Don't you ever think "I wish I wasn't anonymous and that someone else on MN felt a bit of human connection with me"?

Just curious.

OP posts:
purplemonstermunch · 27/11/2013 22:40

I honestly hope they don't get rude of name changing. MN is a huge source of support for me....after abusive EX started stalking me here I stayed away for a while and missed the support.

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 22:42

Do HQ "actively encourage it"?

OP posts:
thebody · 27/11/2013 22:44

I have been flamed, quite deserved, but that's just like getting your arsed kicked in RL. you apologise and move on.

can totally see why people Nc though.

LineRunner · 27/11/2013 22:44

I am a bit crap at recognising 'posting styles' tbh.

Sparklingbrook · 27/11/2013 22:45

Me too Line. I always think 'ooh they sound a bit familiar' but can never remember who I think they are like.

msmoss · 27/11/2013 22:45

Well they have those competitions and they also make it pretty easy to do so that could be interpreted as positive encouragement.

My favourite name change was that pigeon that turned up cooing all over the place, made me chuckle.

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:46

Some are easy to recognise.

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 22:47

Oh has thecuntingpigeon nc back again?

OP posts:
OrlandoWoolf · 27/11/2013 22:48

You've just got to get exactly the right thread which that person has to post on - especially if they are passionate about a subject.

AnAdventureInCakeAndWine · 27/11/2013 22:52

"Do HQ "actively encourage it"?"

Well, they namechange themselves all over the shop and they run festive namechange competitions, so I'd say so. If I staged a ballroom dancing competition I'd generally be considered to be encouraging people to dance.

scottishmummy · 27/11/2013 22:53

I get plenty real life connection,rapport
Mn is blether with strangers,and that's exactly what I like about it
Never recall anyone names to have affinity or animosity,don't want a mn relationship

SauceForTheGander · 27/11/2013 22:57

I got outed by a RL friend and was freaked out and embarrassed by all the personal stuff.

So I NC and then decided I didn't care anyway. I don't remember names - but there are a few I always find myself nodding away at.

LineRunner · 27/11/2013 22:57

I take it back. I do recognise a posting style!

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 22:58

Ah but you never nc Scottishmummy. Reckon you are proper Royalty.

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 27/11/2013 22:59

Don't know how
Can't be fucked
And I'd still talk same keech

usualsuspect · 27/11/2013 22:59

There were threads started wondering where you were SM.

Proper royalty that is.

Sparklingbrook · 27/11/2013 23:00

Yes SM you are royalty. Grin

Original poster
Mintyy · 27/11/2013 23:00

More than one. Proper kosher royalty.

OP posts:
thebody · 27/11/2013 23:01

I have been flamed, quite deserved, but that's just like getting your arsed kicked in RL. you apologise and move on.

can totally see why people Nc though.

scottishmummy · 27/11/2013 23:01

Really?missed all that I'm afraid

LineRunner · 27/11/2013 23:01

Mummy Queen of Scots.

Sparklingbrook · 27/11/2013 23:03

I started a thread asking where you were sm. It got deleted, but nothing to do with you or me. Grin

Mitzyme · 27/11/2013 23:05

I am in 2 minds about name change.
I have been flamed, probably rightly so on at least one occasion IMO.
Regular posters, who I don't always agree with but respect their views, have at times made me re-evaluate my values.
Others have alerted me when I have made myself a bit too vulnerable to other posters who may be a tad disingenuous ( troll )
So I feel secure, as much as you can be, when I see a familiar poster name.

ErrorError · 27/11/2013 23:06

This is my usual one but I do n/c for very identifying or personal stuff (and seasonal variations of ErrorError.) And I never talk about work under this name either, if I want a proper work rant I prefer to be (even more) anon. If anyone suspected they knew me in RL it probably would be easy to figure it out, but as I'm not actually a mum, I can deny knowing anything about it. This is to protect myself, not because I hate you lot or anything! Though I don't share online what I wouldn't with friends in the pub so I stick to anecdotes and dipping into topics I find interesting.

I do like that I 'recognise' names on here and feel like I 'know' some people, even though I don't have any MN 'friends' as such. I don't know who the royalty are, but yes there's people who post loads and so you feel like you know them. If they n/c and people come on the thread to say "I know who you are", I usually have no idea.

MardyBra · 27/11/2013 23:08

I've been mardy for about three or four years I think. I also like knowing who I'm speaking to.

I have a separate name for anything particularly identifying, but I don't use it much.

And I've also namechanged a couple of times to get flamed. Plus seasonal, mucking about.

But I agree, it's good to generally stay the same.