Why on earth do people put a up photo on here asking if they look good for their age?

[happilybemused]

I fully expect an article in the Daily Mail incoming with lots of women of a similar age pointing out they look better. Why would you do this to yourself ?

It is a bit desperate. I think people adjust the age as they assume the OP is older but looks much younger. So they think, she looks about 40, but must be much older so I'll go with 55.
I'm convinced the one a little while ago was malicious or fake as it very swiftly got deleted after the OP commented that she wanted to attract powerful men and had slept with two local politicians but that wasn't enough or something.

My favourite was the woman who posted such a heavily filtered photo, she didn’t have a nose.

@Ohtherewearethen

It is a bit desperate. I think people adjust the age as they assume the OP is older but looks much younger. So they think, she looks about 40, but must be much older so I'll go with 55. I'm convinced the one a little while ago was malicious or fake as it very swiftly got deleted after the OP commented that she wanted to attract powerful men and had slept with two local politicians but that wasn't enough or something.

I can’t work out what actually happened on that one. She proper went on the attack. Either she was really, really upset she looked her age, or it was fake. I am edging towards the formwr as she posted a black and white photo with side plaits, which was clearly an effort to get the answers to be younger, and similar to posting a filtered one. However it could have been fake.

I’d assume though if it was fake, ans the woman in the image looked her age or older, then the troll would have been pleased, so again edging towards it being real. 🤷‍♀️

Some trolls are very, very clever and spend enough time on internet boards to get a really good feel for what makes it look plausible.

A girl I worked with asked my age when I was about 38 and she said I thought you were about 28. Nice compliment and I do look younger but 10 years no way. I do have good genes lol x

A guess-my-age troll will be looking either to make the person in the photos look like a total twat, or to spark an angry slanging match among posters. Or both. Adding new photos and making weird claims about sexual ambitions would suit both aims very well.

True,,,

@ShebaShimmyShake - yes, this is what I meant, although didn't word it very articulately! I think someone put photos up of someone they don't like and wanted people to say she looked old (for whatever reason!) and then claim she was some kind of social climbing serial shagger of semi-powerful men, again for whatever reason! I think that one was definitely malicious.

Trolls play to their audience. MN hates anyone it deems to be "attention seeking" or vain, especially if they're over 40. We've had people admit that they take part in these threads in order to add 20 years to what they really think, just to bring that OP down a peg or two. That's absolute catnip to a troll, especially with the opportunity to use a real person's photo.

Oh yes, fishing for compliments.
The thing is, very few people genuinely look younger than they are. They might look good for their age, but that isn't the same thing.

@Shaniac

What i dont understand is why something so harmless and banal is met with utter contempt and even anger on here. Fuck sake so what if someones fishing for a compliment. Just say something nice and move on with your life. Seems fucking weird to want to try and drag someone down angrily because they shared their own face. Its an anonymous forum but theres no rules that say you have to be anonymous.

I do agree. It's hardly torturing kittens is it? The glee of some posters in guessing way too old, or even piling onto a TAAT to bitch about them is very questionable.

There's probably 50 things people use Mumsnet for that I find more irritating than the guess my age people.

I do think there should be a rule that you can only do it if you post a pic holding your user name. It’s the only way to rule out posting someone else’s picture, unless it’s a long term poster. And even then you can’t be sure.

I originally signed up using my work email by mistake and then changed it. Mnhq could easily verify if I Posted my picture that it was me, a simple google of my name and company would show my image. However I’m not sure how many other folks could be so easily verified. Or why they should have to bother.

I do think if you’re not holding something with your user name the thread should be deleted.

Yes i think jennifer aniston looks fantastic.
Gwyneth paltrow looks fantastic
Julianne moore looks fantastic.
But i would be able to guess their age.

People who post the threads need to realise that looking amazing doesnt equal looking young.

I want to look healthy, happy and attractive (?)
What else can i do. Push water up hill trying to look younger for the rest of my life.

I think that people belive the shit they are told in real life. In real life I'll subtract 5 years of what I really think to make sure I won't offend them. Online I give the real answer.

What i dont understand is why something so harmless and banal is met with utter contempt and even anger on here. Fuck sake so what if someones fishing for a compliment. Just say something nice and move on with your life. Seems fucking weird to want to try and drag someone down angrily because they shared their own face.
Me neither @Shaniac. Sometimes people could use a compliment, I can understand that.🤷‍♀️ The tools that come onto such threads to show what total dicks they are? I dont understand them quite so much. What do they get out of it?

It’s very needy

Yeah, well ..... we all have need of something or somebody

@rorosemary

I think that people belive the shit they are told in real life. In real life I'll subtract 5 years of what I really think to make sure I won't offend them. Online I give the real answer.

I do the same thing, in real life I aim younger, on line I am honest, but I always give a compliment where I think it’s due, ie you’re pretty/attractive, great hair, great skin etc, but if I don’t think those sort of things then I just state the age Ie I don’t lie.

Online I give the real answer.

They're a bit like those baby name threads: "What do you think of the name Cuddles for a boy?" "I think it's hideous." "How dare you! Would you be so rude in real life?" "No, but that's kind of the point of gauging the opinion of anonymous strangers"

@Bluntness100

I do think there should be a rule that you can only do it if you post a pic holding your user name. It’s the only way to rule out posting someone else’s picture, unless it’s a long term poster. And even then you can’t be sure.

I originally signed up using my work email by mistake and then changed it. Mnhq could easily verify if I Posted my picture that it was me, a simple google of my name and company would show my image. However I’m not sure how many other folks could be so easily verified. Or why they should have to bother.

I do think if you’re not holding something with your user name the thread should be deleted.

All right, just for you. It is in black and white, admittedly, but Alfred insisted. He said you wouldn't be able to handle me otherwise.

Yup, that’s the kind of thing! 😃😃😃

@Bluntness100 I do think there should be a rule that you can only do it if you post a pic holding your user name.

Yes , and a copy of that days paper!

How good do I look for 28??????

You liar, you're 34 if you're a day.

@Crayfishforyou

How good do I look for 28??????

After lockdown and homeschooling, you're doing very well. You could even give me a run for my money.

Maybe the reason I find it so annoying online because of all the many times in real life someone asks me how old I think they are and I have to subtract 5-10 years from the truth to satisfy their vanity. If they seem really narcissistic I might say they look 15 - 20 years younger.

So when 50 year olds come on here saying everyone thinks they look young for their age I am not going to lie and say 40. Because I am sick of having to do it at work.

I am also suspicious of posters who give low ages in the answers on these threads because I think they are pretending to themselves 50 looks 40 so they can also think they look young for their age.