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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that MN users seem more intelligent than the average person?

75 replies

ethelfleda · 01/02/2019 07:55

Ok hear me out...
In real life, I would consider myself to be fairly intelligent... I’d maybe even go as far as saying above average in comparison to the people around me.
However, the other users on MN make me feel less than average most of the time! So many articulate and well reasoned arguments - vocabulary that I hardly hear day to day let alone know what it means. There are also some very witty people on here too. So is it just me? Or do the posters on mn not represent the average person intelligence wise?

OP posts:

Letsmoveondude · 01/02/2019 09:54

Yes I agree. I’ve been told by multiple people that I am “crazy intelligent” my husband who is educated to masters level of education regularly says I am the most intelligent person he has ever known, and is impressed by my ability to turn my hand to anything I put my mind to.

I come on mumsnet and feel like I am very stupid.

But on the other hand, there are some people on here who don’t know the difference between his and he’s, so maybe not all of mumsnet was referred here by Mensa.

MissionItsPossible · 01/02/2019 09:56

Yes. Snapped and Farted, in particular, reminded me of Einstein.

InDubiousBattle · 01/02/2019 10:04

I agree op, I think the average user is probably better educated than most, and loaded. I often read the SAHP threads (which is pretty much an act of self flagellation since I am one) and everyone has 'very senior' roles, higher degrees and earns a bomb! I have seen £50k a year described as a low salary on here!

I do tend to stay off the anti vaccination threads though.

Iownabigvase · 01/02/2019 10:05

Yeah I'd say so. I also think that MN has it's own sort of language and way of 'speaking'. You'll see the same things repeated quite often (coming from someone who reads at lot on here and has lurked for years) so at first a response will come across as educated but really its just someone repeating back what they've already saw on here.
Not that that's a bad thing really, I've learnt loads from reading things on here I'll often Google words that I don't recognise or understand and I can be part of conversations that I wouldn't normally have had the chance to be a part of. Because I'm able to get new ideas and be part of educated people's thoughts/conversations, it has helped my vocabulary and understanding so much, people often comment on how good I am with words and how articulate I sound, a lot of that is down to mumsnet
But shhhhhhhh, don't tell

badlydrawnperson · 01/02/2019 10:05

YANBU I am a flaming genius, me like, I am.

coffeewonder · 01/02/2019 10:06

I don't understand how posters can consider themselves to be more intelligent than most people around them unless they are hugely overqualified for their job.

Kelvingrove · 01/02/2019 10:11

I love the phrase ' signal to noise ratio' used above and am now waiting for a chance to use it myself.

Mumsnet has had a good effect on my work emails. I use fewer words and more paragraphs!

Craft1905 · 01/02/2019 10:13

Being above the average is nothing to write home about. I've got more eyes than average, because I have 2, and no one has 3, but lots of people have got 1 or none.

TrickyD · 01/02/2019 10:33

Regardless of intelligence, MN users seem to have more unpleasant family members and flaky friends than the average person.

margaritasbythesea · 01/02/2019 10:40

I think araiwa is probably correct when she says that posters may seem intimidatingly intelligent for their knowledge of one particular subject, whether it be the highway code, feminism or employment law. That does not mean that that poster is equally well informed about everything. If I'm wrong, I'm scared!

Adversecamber22 · 01/02/2019 10:43

I think someone posting upthread that people seem to be either really well off or really poor is a good example of how people with extreme circumstances can dominate some threads. Someone in the middle may think well what can I contribute I don’t have a comment that backs up either side of the argument so I won’t bother.

Bluelady · 01/02/2019 10:44

@coffeewonder, intelligence and academic qualifications aren't necessarily linked. Some of the people I've worked with earning six figure salaries are basically stupid and make appalling decisions.

Original poster

ethelfleda · 01/02/2019 12:24

Yes. Snapped and Farted, in particular, reminded me of Einstein

Good point!

I have also actually learned a lot being on mn. I’ve also changed my opinion on certain things after reading well made arguments on here.
I don’t get chance irl to have conversations like I can on here.

OP posts:

Kingscote · 01/02/2019 12:35

I actually think it's dumbed down a lot in recent years. There used to be some fabulously bright and witty posters on here, but a lot of them seem to have got bored and left. They appear to have been replaced with an increasing number of posters who cannot understand a simple OP, don't understand the difference between wit and rudeness and take big worthy virtuous stands on perfectly innocuous posts.

caughtinanet · 01/02/2019 12:42

Quoting one thread, snapped and fatted, to try and illustrate that the general level of intelligence isn't above average is just nonsense. No one is saying that every poster is more intelligent than average, that couldn't possibly be true, it's a broad brush general assertion.

halfwitpicker · 01/02/2019 12:43

Thick as two short planks over here

halfwitpicker · 01/02/2019 12:44

Snapped and farted was work of wonder

marvellousnightforamooncup · 01/02/2019 13:00

Kingscote and Ethelfleda I totally agree with your last posts. Yes it used to be more witty and intelligent and yes, I have learned lots on here about other people's opinions, lives and experiences.

MissionItsPossible · 01/02/2019 13:02

caughtinanet it was a joke.

planespotting · 01/02/2019 13:12

I don't think you can measure intelligence like that. A lot of people here have a good grasp of English and use it to make others feel crappy.
I am fluent in 3 languages and English is not my native tongue. I have been mocked here and my grammar mistakes have been used to somehow through my arguments off the table.
I also find they are lots of "experts". I have offered advise on things that are in my field of expertise and someone has used wikipedia to advise against.
So I kind of just not bother mush anymore and pick my battles.
I also find it that the comments depend so much on age, location, etc...

planespotting · 01/02/2019 13:13

*throw not through!

Gina2012 · 01/02/2019 13:22

I think MN is pretty standard intellectually (taken averagely across all the forums)

Some posters are really superb and some are not so superb

It averages out imo

Lilifer · 01/02/2019 13:25

totally agree OP

PregnantSea · 01/02/2019 13:27

I haven't developed that impression to be honest. I think there's a pretty normal mix of people on here. I haven't been on here for that long though so I could be wrong.

coffeewonder · 01/02/2019 13:28

'Some of the people I've worked with earning six figure salaries are basically stupid and make appalling decisions.'

Define 'basically stupid.' Do they have low IQ's or poor common sense?

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