Troll Central

[Doingtheboxerbeat]

What the eff is happening on here? I clicked on a thread in good faith only to scroll on to a picture of the worst spider I have ever seen - no warning anywhere!!! Needless to say I threw my phone down in panic and obviously I had to tentatively approach my phone to close the thread. The obvious thing to have done was to comment on that thread but what other surprises were going to jump out of me?
And before I get the obvious comments from the usual posters telling me that I have a problem, I fucking know I do but where is your compassion?

This is 51% rant and 49%lighthearted.

Oh dear that sounds horrible! Some real nutters out there hey!

You didn't really think a troll was someone who posted unannounced pictures of spiders did you?

Are you new to the internet?

It wasn't about Lady Hale's brooch was it?

Joking aside, you can ask MNHQ to add a trigger warning to the thread title if it contains something that people may genuinely have an issue with. In the past, because apparently some arachnophobes found even the word for spider difficult, 'loofah' was used as a code word. So there used to be threads entitled eg 'OMG, I've just found the biggest ever loofah in the bath.'

A troll a few years ago put absolutely loads of mutilated bodies and very distressing pictures up with no warning, in threads with innocuous titles, so it is something a troll would do.

The thing is, that's the sort of content that anyone with normal responses would find distressing, and could never be posted like that other than with bad intent. I'm not sure that everyone does understand that arachnophobia is a serious matter to some people. Though posting a picture of a spider with no context at all doesn't sound like it was in good faith (if that's what happened, I wasn't clear if it was no warning or no context at all)

In the past, because apparently some arachnophobes found even the word for spider difficult, 'loofah' was used as a code word. So there used to be threads entitled eg 'OMG, I've just found the biggest ever loofah in the bath

Which I never understood, how are aracnophobes meant to know the code, surely it would be worse to think, ooh, I wonder what that's all about and click on the thread out of curiousity. If even seeing the word affects you why would you be on the internet in the first place?

Thank you to the posters who have defended me, and apologies again for the over reaction to the others who I have clearly upset.
I entered the thread because like fellow arachnaphobes, I need to know I'm not alone and these threads normally come with warnings.
I have sat on a bus innocently reading a newspaper and have jumped out of my seat and threw the paper in the air through pure shock at seeing a picture of a bird eating spider. My embarrassment came later but it was a total involuntary move.

I'm leaving the thread now because I am legit scared that some arsehole is going to do something awful like post a picture .

I entered the thread because like fellow arachnaphobes, I need to know I'm not alone and these threads normally come with warnings.

That's bit masochistic... Threads about spiders have in 99% a picture of spider. One would think that thread about spiders doesn't need warning about spiders😮
But then again. I was forced to warn people about egg allergen in egg omelette...

If your fear provokes such an extreme reaction, you'd be better off trying to cure your phobia. Hypnotherapy is extremely successful in this area. It will be money well spent if you find a good practitioner.

With your over reaction to a picture, I'm surprised you can even type the word spider.

I was literally just about to Google pictures of spiders to post. Yes, I am that arsehole.

I'm terribly cheeky so I must point out that any true trolls would actually comment into this thread with a picture of a .....

I would do the same so have some love and sympathy xxxx....and I do also feel somewhat awkward typing it and consider it personal growth that I can!!

Btw loofa is such a fun word to say it's a pity it's not easy to work into everyday conversations

I don't blame you OP.

Go, before some dick does that.

I know so many that would scream at a spider running across the floor, its been known to make me jump, or the sight of mice, rats, maggots, there are loads of creatures and behaviours we are primed to be on alert to.

To ignore that many do suffer big reactions to these things is U.

Your reaction can be calmed. It might be worth looking into.

If the thread title didnt mention it, I'd find that highly suspicious, or didn't mention (pic) also, thats pretty accepted protocol here.

There's probably people with that strange phobia about things with holes (Trypophobia?) who are freaked by that loofah picture.

The thread in question is at www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3700039-To-never-go-in-my-little-girls-room-again and the OP includes the words

"I'm petrified of spiders. My mum said that her mum put one right up in her face when she was a kid, thinking about it almost sent me into cardiac arrest 😅. Someone help me overcome this irrational fear!"

Someone who thinks it funny to post a picture of a very large spider in that thread is not a troll. She just has a very unpleasant sense of "humour".

And she did say " I'll show myself out before I get screamed at for giving you all nightmares. " which means she knew exactly what she was doing.

Trypophobia

A new one on me, till MN a little while back!

I need to remember that one, but I don't post pics as a rule really, so I'll probably forget, but I would feel bad to know about it and not warn then causue upset

No need for foul language

@ErrolTheDragon ooooh I hadn't thought about trypophobia. Hmm. Not my intention to trigger.

Someone who posts a pic of a spider on a thread where OP admits to being terrified...

...is a humourless twat of a troll, oh and ignorant too.

OP come back!! I want to say that I hate spiders too and I would have threw my phone also! I can see why you would say it is a troll, it is being mean to cause a reaction. I'd throw my grandma if a spider was on her too!

Have not a clue wth that is webuilt. But bloody scarey

WeBuilt - surely no one can object to Soupy, he (or she?) is surely the MN mascot? Just don't go posting that pic of TWC (if anyone doesn't know what that means, be grateful).

Xpost ... that's Soupy, the MN bat, that is, been around for years.