To think some mnetters are right spoonfuls of dour sourness.

[Lydiaatthebarre]

No matter how lighthearted, innocuous or mild the topic of a thread they will always find a reason to snipe, bitch, sneer or belittle. I'm seeing it more and more on AIBU - good humoured or jokey threads killed stone dead by posters who can't wait to jump on and drag it down some miserable cup de sac, cutting off any chance of a bit of fun or friendly empathising with one of life's minor but recognisable dilemmas.

AIBU to find this really annoying and irritating?

Well - people like this exist in pretty much any group, so it is hardly surprising that, given the size of MN, and the fact that membership is open to anyone, you get people like that here too.

But I think that MN is also packed full of people giving good advice, information and support in a huge range of situations from birth to bereavement, infant feeding, teenagers, schools, disability and special needs - the list goes on and on. Then there is humour - the generosity of MNers who do embarrassing things and then share them with us, so we can share the joke. There is serious political debate, campaigning - so many different MNers giving so much of themselves.

You can look at the dour sourness, or you can look at the amazing things that are here. Which one you choose will colour your impression of MN - I choose to see the best bits of MN. I know the other side exists, but I think posts like that are very much in the minority here.

There are a lot of people here who very literal and don’t seem to understand how humans I retract with each other. I do wonder how they function in the real world, they must spend a lot of time being offended by things or killing conversations.

I’m just here for the sourdough ness mmm

Probably ''twas ever thus. Really I came on this thread just to say how much I like your phrase 'spoonfuls of dour sourness'.

Yeah there seems to be a larger number of mood hoovers around than usual on this site. Like dementors they suck the joy out of every bloody thing.

I find this thread very immature

The word 'dour' is so underused! What a word

Was always thus ! But has always been my go to whem life has really been too much and when the chips are down ive been shown nothing but kindness.

Since I'm one of the mnetters you're complaining about, based on your response to my post in another thread...

The thread in question wasn't light-hearted. It was a 'nothing' thread really. No dilemma, nothing to empathize with, and no actual change, real or jokey to be made by the OP. It was, what I would call, dour and mean spirited in its judgement of other people.

The pets AIBU thread is light-hearted. So are lots of other posts. People just don't have to agree with any crap that's posted.

But crack on trying to police how other people read things, it's no skin off my nose.

There's a lot of folk on here that pounce on a chance to virtue signal.

I like the fact that 'dour sourness' can also be 'sour dourness'.....

Dour and sour just about describes it. I know there were always posters like that but they definitely seem to be on the increase. Totally literal, no sense of irony or humour and joylessly plodding around the forum picking inoffensive posts apart to find something/anything to take offence over.

I have no idea why they are so miserable and permanently angry and on the offensive, but they really do like to rain on every parade.

OP’s tone encapsulates those qualities, though...

In what way makingmammaries. I don't see anything dour and sour about her post, just irritation at the way a certain type of poster behaves.

To be fair, some posters on here are very sour individuals. God help anyone who enjoys anything, is ever happy, or wants to enjoy a nice light hearted thread.

I think the fact you have to put light hearted in the threads says it all to be honest 😂

May not be exactly what you're talking about but I dislike responses that:

• dismiss any desire to have your birthday recognised, however moderately (e.g. even by texting or just saying 'happy birthday') as childish and ridiculous

• respond to anyone's complaint about a parent by saying their parent is dead and therefore the OP should be thoroughly grateful theirs is alive and never, ever complain.

Miserable to see any of these.

Yes, the having to put 'light hearted' in threads is relatively new. When I first joined you could safely assume that the vast majority of posters could tell the difference between a thread that was serious and one that was tongue in cheek. Nowadays a surprising amount of posters can't and have to have it flagged to them in big capital letters.

I actually googled "cup de sac" just to make sure I wasn't missing something important.....😂😉

Well I just did my first AS and I was on the thread OP and thecatsthecats were on and, I think, I'm one of the dour sour spoonfuls! I really don't find much lighthearted about being invited to sneer at people who do things differently, in this case the gear they wear for walking, to the OP.

It wasn't really a great example of the kind of mood-hoovering "you should be grateful you have a mother" me-railing I think some posters here are thinking, it was more people calling the OP of that thread out on being a bit judgy and the OP of this thread got pissy on her behalf because she clearly likes a good sneer too.

Also, we already have a far better and funnier thread about fun-suckers here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3353817-AIBU-to-get-irritated-by-people-trying-to-derail-lighthearted-threads

so why the need to start a new one?

But that's the point RibbonAurora

It wasn't intended tone a sneery thread. I was just bemoaning the fact that going for a walk nowadays seems to be a bit of a palaver and I feel a bit old fashioned just pulling on a pair of comfy shoes and heading off.

I had considered putting 'light hearted' in the title but then thought 'nah, it's obvious'. Obviously not to some posters

And your comment abut the OP of this thread is not very nice.

I agree OP. It seems that some people like to pour doom & gloom on everything and encourage everyone to think the worst in their partners (even when there's zero evidence) or to quit their jobs / move house etc. rather than just actually have a simple conversation.
Though I do think the desire to have your birthday made into a grand occasion just because you like to go all out for other peoples' is a bit much Particularly when you discover the poster has actually told their OH that they don't want a big celebration and the OH has taken them at face value!

Some people are drains.

I'm a radiator.

(It makes sense if you've done similar courses to me.)

So it's a PA TAAT?

@user1485342611, I find that threads whose purpose is to complain about other people having different attitudes are just that: dour and sour.