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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So sick of all the political nastiness

67 replies

HotDogGuy · 11/12/2019 07:32

And I’m not talking about the political parties.

I have my own mind about who I am going to vote for, in prior elections (maybe 2 elections ago) I would quite happily have a reasoned debate with people about politics because it was civilised - no name calling, no vitriol, just an exchange of ideas and generally ending in we’ll agree to disagree.

But now people thinks it’s acceptable to attack those that do not agree with their own political views. It is not. I disagree with how my husband is voting and how my mum is voting but it’s their choice and they can make that choice based on whatever they want - how it personally affects them, wider society. It is their right to vote for whoever they want to vote for.

If someone is so passionate about one political party then join them and campaign in an acceptable way. 99% will not but instead will feel they have a duty to attack those who vote differently.

And whilst a lot of politicians (from all sides) are behaving terribly I think politics has just caught up with social media where people think it’s ok to be nasty and have a go at others for being different.

Not expecting any response to this but needed to rant after reading yet another political thread on Mumsnet

OP posts:
Hingeandbracket · 11/12/2019 08:16

I judge the parties by how their hardcore behave. It's only the conservative placards being defaced and smashed up here.
How do you know who is smashing things? Have you personally spoken to all the vandals?

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 11/12/2019 08:17

I agree. I think the old adage is true more than ever. Don’t discuss politics, religion and money. Especially the first!

Hingeandbracket · 11/12/2019 08:18

Just to say, I like to challenge and debate issues, but I do respect other people’s absolute right to their views and I have friends who profoundly disagree with me, but we remain friends.

fessmess · 11/12/2019 08:18

I feel weepy and anxious today because of this very thing. I cannot look at fb anymore. The lies, propaganda and nastiness is too much. I also fear I won't get the result I am hoping for so am despondent about that too. And it's on this thread. A thread about the mud-slinging has beget mud-slinging. Wake me up Christmas morning please and I can just forget it all with wine and food. Genuinely feel depressed.

WorldsOnFire · 11/12/2019 08:18

The amount of abuse from labour voters I’ve seen on MN this week has made me despair.

What it shows is a generation of adults with disgustingly low respect for anybody else’s opinion, or right to have an opinion different to their own.

They’re a loud, crass, self absorbed mob weirding pitchforks made out of unsubstantiated claims, hypocritical accusations and a severe lack of long term perspective. I’m not political and I’d never usually weigh in but honestly... the behaviour and attitudes of those voting labour is what’s put me off voting labour- do not want to be associated with people like that!

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 11/12/2019 08:19

That’s just it. The lack of tolerance for any differing opinion. It shows a lack of intelligence.

Symptomless · 11/12/2019 08:21

Already this thread has descended into a fight over which 'side' is worse. Everyone dug deep in their own trench flinging mud at the other side.

Symptomless · 11/12/2019 08:21

A rational conversation would be nice but that is not how we're being governed.

RufusthebewiIderedreindeer · 11/12/2019 08:24

*Already this thread has descended into a fight over which 'side' is worse

I agree

Its really tiresome, and as far as i can see when it comes to people on mumsnet all ‘sides’ are the same when it comes to mud slinging

RufusthebewiIderedreindeer · 11/12/2019 08:24

Arse...bold fail 🙄

MarshaBradyo · 11/12/2019 08:27

Both sides are as bad

SunnySomer · 11/12/2019 08:29

Symptomless, I totally agree.
I think the existence of social media is what really stokes this. People read headlines then share them and shout based on a gut reaction. And it’s shouting that the average person would feel quite embarrassed to do with their actual voice - but which is easy to do from the safety of a keyboard.
It’s all quite horrible and is definitely not unique to any side of the debate.

Hingeandbracket · 11/12/2019 08:31

It’s all quite horrible and is definitely not unique to any side of the debate
Agreed and I can’t quite believe people are crass enough to come on to this very thread to perpetuate it.

AuntieStella · 11/12/2019 08:32

Even on a thread deploring nastiness, ports wl polar to have a dig at one part, trance or age group (examples on thus very thread)

All it does is stir up division. I do not think that is a good thing.

MN was never a balanced or representative community, and now it no longer has much beyond outs and blame.

Hingeandbracket · 11/12/2019 08:33

@WorldsOnFire you are part of the exact problem you claim to be highlighting.

AuntieStella · 11/12/2019 08:35

Let's try that again without the gibberish! (more Brew needed!):

Even on a thread deploring nastiness, posts will pop up to have a dig at one party, stance or age group (examples on this very thread)

All it does is stir up division. I do not think that is a good thing.

MN was never a balanced or representative community, and now it no longer has much beyond outs and blame.

UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe · 11/12/2019 08:36

Worldsonfire Bit if you’re a Labour supporter, that’s the treatment you get from Tory voters! People defending Labour policies have been talked to really insultingly by Tory voters. Really abhorrent mocking going on. However, when I look at how Tory voters are spoken too by Labour voters it also can be heckling an insulting.

That’s what I meant above. You’ve had abuse from Labour voters so that’s all you see. Take a step back, open your eyes and you’ll see all sides are being bashed by all sides. Tory voters aren’t angels, Labour voters aren’t angels. To say one side is evil incarnate is just wrong.

UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe · 11/12/2019 08:37

Symptomless I agree that’s not how we’re being governed, but we have to be better than them Smile

Phantastick · 11/12/2019 08:38

I think online it is particularly bad as it’s so easy to sling personal insults followed up by a justification.

In real life, I have a range of varying different friends, with very different jobs, backgrounds and likely futures - who are (I think) reasonable, bright, engaging women with a social conscience and they aren’t all voting one or the other. And two people voting different ways can chat about it quite happily without losing their shit.

I want to hear why people are voting the way they are, especially if they’re likely voting the opposite way to meand I have had lots of really interesting conversations about politics in the last few weeks where no table thumping or raised voices have occurred, no voices raised.

If you’re an arsehole then you’re an arsehole online and in person and thus display your arseholery for all to see by making sweeping negative statements about “the Left” or “the Right” or “Corbynistas” or whoever. Tolerance of opposing political views and open debate, listening and understanding why people vote the way they do is more important now than ever, because alienating and antagonising people on “the other side” of the political spectrum to you, will entrench their views, drive them harder and cement consequences that don’t need to be cemented.

DeeZastris · 11/12/2019 08:38

Completely agree and I think the left has been as equally vile as the right in this. On Facebook I now immediately snooze any friends for 30 days if they post anything political at all.

MrsMaiselsMuff · 11/12/2019 08:39

It's only the conservative placards being defaced and smashed up here.

In my constituency the police are investigating written threats made to the Labour candidate. Also criminal damage done where someone took a knife to a Labour sign and the fence it was on.

In another constituency the Labour candidate's shop window was smashed.

There are at least three assaults against Labour campaigners that I'm aware of.

There are nasty elements on both sides.

AuntieStella · 11/12/2019 08:39

Hinge - don't miss out aHulksPurplePanties who was at it much earlier in the thread. After an insult to one side, hardly surprising that the other pops up to do the same.

It's been a very unedifying campaign, and the increased use of social media has accelerated the race to the bottom.

OTOH, in some parts of the country you still find proper hustings. I hope they do not die out completely

MarshaBradyo · 11/12/2019 08:40

Social media people go for it, even this thread

In rl with people I know it has been completely different Tg

In the media pretty much as bad as SM

ForalltheSaints · 11/12/2019 08:41

Since June 2016 we have become a very divided society, and what the OP experiences is one consequence.

Whatever their views, I always encourage people to vote though.

ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 11/12/2019 08:51

It's not the hard-core that will be running the country, so I judge the party by it's leadership. While I have some concerns about Cornyn, Johnson and his team and circulating lies to a really alarming degree. The level of misinformation that the Tory leadership have been deliberately putting in their campaign ads etc is appalling. It's Goebbels-like.