Keyboard Warriors!

[hhhxxx]

AIBU to think most people who give people shit on MN are really over the littlest things are the people who in real life wouldn't say boo to a goose! The power of anonymous chat boards really get into some people's head

Typical of the Internet anyway, but AIBU is something else! I think people sometimes forget on forums/facebook/youtube/whatever that behind every username is a real person with real feelings.

Not so in the case of someone I know. They are angry in real life and a troublemaker on messageboards.

They are just all round angry.

Not me! I wouldn't say boo to a goose and certainly do not go looking for fights on mumsnet. If I get a nasty remark on here, it is as upsetting as in real life.

I can't speak for the other conflict-averse people on here though!

Serious possibility. A thread of mine went from talking about swimming pool etiquette, to causing me of child abuse. I was upset at the time. I now take comments with a HEAP of salt 😊

*accusing me.

I'd say it's more pronounced online, but with a very general broad brush, you're either a lover or a fighter!!

I think the most angry people have a lot of issues, and are doormats in real life. Especially in the relationships issues, you can tell that the your bastard husband didn't put the lid back on the toothpaste this morning! he's abusing you, how dare he, divorce the twat THIS SECOND gang are alone and terribly bitter about it.

I have felt really sorry for some posters, who were painfully angry on threads about disabled access, they seem to be in bad situations and struggling in real life without any way of expressing themselves.

Others are just funny to read, and very entertaining to wind up

Don't know. I have always had the belief before I respond to a post of would I say it in RL? If yes then I proceed. Although I'm no wall flower in reality and not afraid to speak up. I'm not nasty or rude though.

Not really. It takes all sorts. I knew one person IRL who was a troll (different forums, and probably still active) and I wouldn’t have picked it. But then another (come to think of it, I know a few too many trolls IRL) is exactly what you’d imagine. She’s prickly, arrogant and opinionated.

I think the common denominator is "issues".

So whether you would or wouldn't say boo to a goose in RL, if something hits a nerve (such as the very defensive teachers on here who will not allow anyone to say anything negative about schools or teachers) they'll get worked up. Similarly with interfering MIL threads, I always wonder whether those posters who start getting angry at the DIL have been accused of the same themselves...

I think some people just have all this hidden anger that they don't express in real life and literally lose their shit on MN if someone has made DC a sandwich with white bread rather than 50/50!

Not that I mean to call all angry posters trolls, of course

Yes Iswym OP. I read some repsonses and think what the hell is wrong with you. Which could be many things I guess.

I think some people just have all this hidden anger that they don't express in real life and literally lose their shit on MN if someone has made DC a sandwich with white bread rather than 50/50!

Definitely agree with this! I've noticed in the past that some posters whose names kept popping up being complete dicks to people were also the people who seemed to have pretty shitty lives (when they shared their own personal stuff). It's like they come on here as an outlet for their rage they can't express in their own life.

I always remember of a poster writing the most nasty vicious comments on a thread about SAHM, only for another poster to find her threads about having horrible time at work and hating her entire work place. I am guessing not an isolated case!

YANBU I posted something afew months back. A couple of the replies were horrible I actually got really upset. It actually took me by surprise how upset I was. DH did tell me I needed thicker skin if I want to post on Internet forums. I just didn't see the need for it. I use mumsnet really to chat to others when I'm abit lonely, need objective advice and hopefully do the same for others. I don't mind if people don't agree/tell me I'm wrong but in that instance it was awful.
Now though I just try and ignore

You could get an absolute beating for asking what apples to use to make an apple crumble. You do need a thick skin unfortunately.

CavoliRiscaldati Yes, exactly. The person I know used to complain about people take their children shopping and getting in her way and children messing up tables in cafes where she wanted to sit... And then, when she had children of her own, it was the opposite - she complains about people giving her dirty looks because her twins scream in the supermarket!

She also complained about people "showing off" with remote control key fobbed cars... until she got one.
She goes to Disneyland a lot and lays into anyone who says it's not all that.
She's a smoker, with children, and BOY can you tell!

Insecurities and issues.

Yes. Anonymity is opportunity. There are some posts that come across as spiteful and I'm sure they're meant to be read that way. They're not trolling but they seem to enjoy going beyond being blunt or direct and veer on dressing up an insult as "help". There's also someone on AIBU quite a bit who always seems to post statement replies that appear insensitive to the OP, ignore the particulars of their situation, miss the point and get people talking about their post rather than OPs one. If those are their real views then fine, but they're voiced in a way that offends as many as possible, seemingly on purpose. I suspect this person wouldn't voice such opinions irl. Eg on a thread about an abortion for an unplanned pregnancy this poster responded with a variation on "abstinence is the only way, you should've kept your legs crossed".

Also, some of the more extreme or dramatic reactions to scenarios, I think people post the reactions they'd LIKE to give if they could get away with it in real life. Eg "4yo niece drew on my wall, DSis won't pay to clean" people will reply with responses that deliberately suggest causing damage in return "next time you're there, i'd destroy a greater amount of their property or write rude words about them not paying on their wall, see how they like it". I also suspect a couple of people occasionally embellish their replies as to what actually happened. Parking, Neighbour and CF threads seem to bring this out. "The last time a total random parked on my drive I left a sign saying f-off and put a potato up their exhaust".... is actually "the one time someone over-hung my drive I left them a note.... and then hid".

If you get judged online or your reply gets savaged, you can ignore it, name change, hide the thread or change forums. The repercussions are quite minimal.

I called my DP ex a bitch before and I got "why is she a bitch because you said so?" Well yes because it's my post ?!?!?!

There was a prolific poster on the 'Education' boards or anything infact to do with private school. Said poster would happily slag off anyone's child (lots of name calling, laughing at people's kids) who she deemed 'average' or was going to an 'average' school instead of the top 4 that her own dc went to. She even mentioned most children save for the top should be barred from University and instead should serve their betters . By complete accident i found out 2 of her kids went to a very medicore indy just down the road, the scholarships she boasted about where from non selective indy schools who would have been pleased to see anyone. She had never mentioned these schools in all her time on MN. I was quite gobsmacked.

Bang-on OP.

They're living vicariously through their online persona.

I suspect they also struggle with relationships which is why they love it when their online 'wit' gets a little appreciation from fellow keyboard warriors.

True, one side is you can be more honest on this forum. If someone behaves a certain way in RL, you will judge and possibly bitch with a few chosen few about it, but you will mostly keep quiet. On the anonymous forum, you can be as honest and brutal.

You can never tell an employee what you really think about their behaviour to their face, you can write it online anonymously.