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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you think advice given on here is generally good, or not?

48 replies

SomethingInnocuous · 03/09/2017 20:46

After reading quite a few threads on here I sometimes think the advice is a bit extreme, or the OP gets a disproportionately hard time compared to advice you would give a friend in RL. Is this just me? Do you think advice given on this forum is generally pretty good?

I have seen some very kind and helpful posts to people but more often than not think its a little bit needlessly aggressive.

OP posts:
TheNaze73 · 03/09/2017 21:50

I think generally, it's very good. I've learnt a lot since using the site

Ktown · 03/09/2017 21:52

Sometimes it is great.
Some of the advice is really odd though. Getting your colours done and about children's behaviour.
Kids sat around the house on iPads all day are bound to be fractious.
I am always surprised people don't reference what they advise.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/09/2017 21:55

scrabbler3
I've seen some very dodgy advice on legal and HR matters on this site.

I got absolutely slated the other day for saying that someone should get proper legal advice, because the person posting didn't need it.

I mean WTAF!

MiddlingMum · 03/09/2017 21:57

There's a lot of total nonsense, along with a fair amount of kindly and intelligent advice.

steppemum · 03/09/2017 21:58

I think also I have learnt a lot from reading other people's opinions, things I didn't know and wouldn't have thought of.

VestalVirgin · 03/09/2017 22:05

It is pretty good, overall.
Obviously, there are always needlessly aggressive people, or some who are just plain wrong, but in general, it is good.

I am especially impressed with the ability of mumsnet hivemind when it comes to recognizing abusive relationships. Perhaps it is easier to see from the outside, but it is still impressive that there's little disagreement on such threads, and if there is, it is mostly about what OP should do about the abuse, not about whether the abusive behaviour is normal.

OnMyShoulders · 03/09/2017 22:07

I take more stock of posters own experiences that they share on threads when someone is looking for advice. I personally find those invaluable.

KennethCat · 03/09/2017 22:08

Depends. The advice dished out by the armchair medics on here is actually quite frightening. You cant challenge them with actual evidence because obviously they really really know their stuff.
Their particular area of expertise is usually thyroid problems Hmm

corythatwas · 03/09/2017 22:08

I have received a lot of good advice and support from here. And learnt lots.

Runningyogabooze · 03/09/2017 22:08

Great advice unless you're on AIBU or it involves an unsatisfactory male partner, in which case you'll definitely be told to LTB, even if he just left a sock on the floor.

annandale · 03/09/2017 22:10

I'm careful what I start threads about because I do think a lot of the advice is rubbish. There are still posts that make me stop and think though. Overall the threads in like most are the ones about elderly parents but that's likely due to my age...

Love51 · 03/09/2017 22:10

I like the fact that you get a range of views. Some may be as nutty as a fruitcake, but equally, there can be points of view you haven't considered before. Like viewing the world through someone else's eyes.
It doesn't have to be 'generally good' to be useful.

PlasticPatty · 03/09/2017 22:13

Some advice is good - brilliant on practical things like what to do after a sudden death in the family.

But advice from MN has to be taken with caution. Many MNers live in a cloud cuckoo land where adults never harm children or each other, and where everyone has to be given the benefit of the doubt even at the risk of your children coming to harm.

Advice re baby names is barking. Every daft name under the sun is encouraged.

There's a lot of kindness on MN, too, as advice and general conversation.

SnowiestMountain · 03/09/2017 22:14

Excellent for some things, mosquito bites, finding a dress I couldn't find, advice on Supergas etc but sometimes relationships can go from 1 - 100 in no time at all.

tigercub50 · 03/09/2017 22:22

I think one of the problems with forums is that you can only give a "snapshot" of your life so a situation could come across worse than it is. Having said that I have had some really good advice, particularly to do with DD.

Ragusa · 03/09/2017 22:24

I've had mostly brilliant advice on here. Some a bit weird or incorrect but really, honestly, largely very sound on a wide variety of topics.

Particularly good for fact-based stuff or reviews of consumables and travel/days out-type stuff, I've found.

MargaretTwatyer · 03/09/2017 22:29

Nn
I think it's

SkyblueAnnie · 03/09/2017 22:38

I think in situations where the advice is just offering a viewpoint or helpful tips the advice on here can be really helpful and I have learnt a great deal from this site.

I agree with pp though that some of the more ' technical ' advice on legal/housing/HR etc is downright dangerous.

Of course everyone is free to express their opinion but I am slightly baffled sometimes when people post completely inaccurate advice on things they clearly have no real knowledge or understanding of.

Fortunately I haven't seen poor advice stand for long before someone challenges it but it must be confusing for the OP to be getting conflicting advice on an issue where there really is a right or wrong answer.

I used to think some of the advice on the relationship board was a little over the top in relation to how quickly posters would say there must be an OW....

But when my ex started following ' the script' the fact I recognised what was happening really helped me get through it.

I suppose you can take from the advice what you want and take everything with a pinch of salt but some vulnerable users may not be able to do this and may be more inclined to follow the advice they want to hear not what might actually be the best for them

Nancy91 · 03/09/2017 22:54

I don't think the advice is generally good, no. It generally seems to descend into bullying or an argument and the threads go completely off topic.

If you can filter all the crap comments out there are normally a few useful posts though.

ThaiRedCurry · 03/09/2017 23:04

Nancy91 totally agree. I once posted for help on a real tricky situation I was in and I was literally attacked. A few stuck up for me but a fair amount were nothing but rude and bullying

burmecia · 03/09/2017 23:25

I had some really unpleasant and inappropriate advice recently. I also got a huge amount of help and some very helpful PMs from people who didn't feel they could post in the thread due to the posters who were being horrible.

It really depends on your issue. Everyone's an expert, as they say.

MagicMarkers · 03/09/2017 23:26

I'm a CAB adviser and some of the advice on here is completely wrong, especially in relation to housing law and benefits. As an adviser we're not allowed to advise off the top of our heads, but people do that all the time on here. I think it's better to link to information on the Citizens Advice or gov.uk websites and I sometimes do that.

There was a thread today about someone being given 24 hours to leave their flat. Some of the advice was correct and some was way off beam and could cause the OP a lot of harm. It must have been confusing for the OP.

tobee · 04/09/2017 00:07

I've noticed recently more replies being snarky and chastising. Quite likely to get them on what you'd think were harmless, non-controversial threads e.g style and beauty, where amongst some lovely responses someone wants to stick their oar in and tell me, (or op or whoever ) that I'm failing in some way as a human being, responses like "I'd never dream of letting that happen to me".

And people who seem to think it's a virtue to have a sense of humour bypass.

But I've also known many genuinely caring and helpful responses....

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