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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irritated by the UK-centric assumptions on here

373 replies

saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:26

Many posters here seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that the internet is a worldwide thing. Yes, this site is based in the UK, but that should be as far as it goes. Clearly there's somewhat of a UK focus which is fine up to a point. But...

Every second thread seems to end up with someone in the covid police trying to threadjack it because a hapless poster from a country that's not in lockdown, posts about being on holiday/vacation or visiting relatives, or doing something else that's not allowed here at the moment. Why do the threadjackers assume that everyone on here is British?

Seriously, the insularity here is really weird. I've not seen it on any other forum. I belong to two based in the US, but no-one assumes that posters on them must all be American.

OP posts:
AIMummy · 15/02/2021 21:04
Confused
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 21:16

@DumplingsAndStew

I think the issue isn't assuming that the majority of posters are based in the UK - it is a UK based website. The problem is jumping to the automatic assumption and accusations that a poster is lying and/or trolling when their experience doesn't meet the expectation of the average [English] poster.
Thank you.

Of course the site is going to be centred on the UK.

What many posters seem to have done is misread the title of my OP. It's NOT "AIBU To be irritated by Mumsnet being UK-centric", it's "AIBU to be irritated by the UK-centric assumptions on here. They are very different questions, and of course IWBU to be irritated by the former.

OP posts:
poppycat10 · 15/02/2021 21:20

No it's the same. You are complaining that people assume other people on the site are from the UK rather than always stopping and thinking "oh this person might not be from the UK" and then posting.

To say what you claim that you mean you would have just said "am I AIBU to get fed up with people always assuming people are breaking UK covid rules when they are actually outside the UK"

chomalungma · 15/02/2021 21:24

I think even Mumsnet thinks it's a UK based site

www.mumsnet.com/

Have a look at the assumptions in all the advice etc - all UK based advice on pensions, gas bills etc...

Bigheaded · 15/02/2021 21:40

Also OP, Belgian and German websites are also accessible all over the world... and German is spoken in a few different countries. Also German is though as a 2nd language in a few different countries. Maybe Belgian is a bit different, or Icelandic or Faroese but at the end of the day websites attract people who speak the language and are interested in the topic.

Lingle · 15/02/2021 21:51

YABU and your OP is rude

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 21:54

@chomalungma

I think even Mumsnet thinks it's a UK based site

www.mumsnet.com/

Have a look at the assumptions in all the advice etc - all UK based advice on pensions, gas bills etc...

Of course it's a UK based site! I've never said anything other.

I'll try again. If any poster wants to leap on another on some point of Covid lockdowns/how they spell colour/whether they say vacation, not holiday/what they use to abbreviate mother, or to call them a liar or a troll because there's a miss-match in understanding, they should pause for a second. Before jumping on them I think it should cross their minds that the poster might not actually be English/UKish and their rules or their spelling/usage might be different.

OP posts:
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 21:56

@Lingle

YABU and your OP is rude
Please explain why my OP is rude. What have I actually said (as opposed to what you think I said) that is actively rude?
OP posts:
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 21:59

@Bigheaded

Also OP, Belgian and German websites are also accessible all over the world... and German is spoken in a few different countries. Also German is though as a 2nd language in a few different countries. Maybe Belgian is a bit different, or Icelandic or Faroese but at the end of the day websites attract people who speak the language and are interested in the topic.
Of course. But when you factor in countries like the US/Australia/NZ and their populations, they far exceed those of Belgian or German-speaking countries. So Mumsnet is going to attract far more non-UK English speakers than a Belgian or German site will attract non-Belgian or non-German speaking contributors.
OP posts:
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 22:00

...than a Belgian or German site will attract non-Belgian or non-German speakers of those languages, rather.

OP posts:
Lingle · 15/02/2021 22:01

No

GreenlandTheMovie · 15/02/2021 22:07

Please explain why my OP is rude. What have I actually said (as opposed to what you think I said) that is actively rude?

You said that "many posters" were "blissfully ignorant" and accused them of "insularity". You also, somewhat mysteriously, said that "Yes, this site is based in the UK, but that should be as far as it goes" then qualified it with the equally inexplicable "Clearly theres somewhat of a UK focus which is fine up to a point". Mysterious and inexplicable because neither of these points is defined or justified.

So, yes, that is very rude. Calling posters "ignorant" is very rude. Why do you need that pointed out to you?

Then this belittling tone, attempting to create fine distinctions to deny the natural upset of posters and explain away your rudeness is pretty horrible to read. Its a very discernable trait in your postings, and gives the impression that you dislike many people, with little reason.

And please don't do your thing of picking up on one or two phrases, over-interpreting them and then attempting to question the poster to make yourself sound clever. You're a bit of a one trick pony and it just makes you come across as unlikable.

Hope that explains!

Lemmeout · 15/02/2021 22:07

Are you always this angry?

Lemmeout · 15/02/2021 22:09

This isn’t Momsnet ... it’s obvious really.

StanfordPines · 15/02/2021 22:12

Ok then. Well I’m off to post on Australian Women’s Weekly website and complain about the snow without mentioning that I’m in the uk and then moan when people assume I must be Australian because I’m posting on an Australian website even though their books are available in the uk and the internet is accessible from here.

And the point about a German dads website or a Belgian dog owners website is not about the language but about the assumptions it would be fair to make about posters there.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 22:14

@Lemmeout

Are you always this angry?
Angry? I'm not remotely angry.
OP posts:
StanfordPines · 15/02/2021 22:16

What would you assume about the posters on this website for example
www.catsofaustralia.com/forums/

Or this forum?
www.racecafe.co.nz/forums/index.php

Clearly we can’t assume anything according to the op because all the internet is accessible from anywhere.

Linguaphile · 15/02/2021 22:20

They speak French and Flemish in Belgium. Belgian is not a language.

chomalungma · 15/02/2021 22:29

I'll try again. If any poster wants to leap on another on some point of Covid lockdowns/how they spell colour/whether they say vacation, not holiday/what they use to abbreviate mother, or to call them a liar or a troll because there's a miss-match in understanding, they should pause for a second. Before jumping on them I think it should cross their minds that the poster might not actually be English/UKish and their rules or their spelling/usage might be different

Well - that's true.

I suppose there are 2 things:

  1. People shouldn't jump on others by saying that they spell 'color' wrong

  2. A poster should not get upset if they ask for suggestions for a holiday near the sea and people suggest Cornwall - if the poster hasn't said they are in the USA for example.

If someone asks for advice, then people are going to make a number of assumptions unless told otherwise.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 22:30

@Linguaphile

They speak French and Flemish in Belgium. Belgian is not a language.
Blush

Of course, I actually knew that. But arguing my point made me blind to the detail of what I was typing.

mortified

OP posts:
fluffy71 · 15/02/2021 22:33

What a tedious post

CeeceeBloomingdale · 15/02/2021 22:33

OP you have made an assumption that anyone posting during the night UK time is not a UK user. Some of us work shifts, are up feeding babies, are insomniac etc. I regularly post in the small hours.

I belong to another UK site and an Anerican lady popped up the other day asking why everything is in "funny money" 🙄. She wasn't even able to identify the currency let alone realise the users were predominently in the UK.

Personally I find it refreshing that most people are assumed British, most places online its assumed I am American and a man due to my interests. It can be a bit Londoncentric and I'm northern. It's good to get and receive advice that is relevant to the local areas and laws to me. I am very much open to everyone using the forum, regardless of where they live or their nationality but when asking something legal for example it's useful if people state their location.

chomalungma · 15/02/2021 22:34

And if someone posted for advice on holidays near the sea and a poster suggested Columbia in North Carolina, that would be an unusual suggestion on Mumsnet.

BolloxtoGender · 15/02/2021 22:35

OP, your post, in fact the whole thread, is in English. There is a world 🌎 of languages out there, how Ignorant, narcissistic and narrow minded of you to assume everyone can or are willing to converse in English on mums net.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 22:45

OP you have made an assumption that anyone posting during the night UK time is not a UK user. Some of us work shifts, are up feeding babies, are insomniac etc. I regularly post in the small hours.

No I haven't. I've posted on here in the wee small hours myself. However, the amount of traffic indicates that it is likely that a fair few of the posters are likely to be American or Australian (for instance)

OP posts: