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Original poster

Should Mumsnet have it's own middle class section ?

313 replies

hattie43 · 16/04/2022 18:36

Reading some of these threads turning nasty it's really apparent that people have such different lives there will never be common ground . Nor does there need to be but the insults are not nice.

A thread posted by someone asking a question , to some a reasonable question being jumped on by ' the poor ' as tone deaf means legitimate conversation has been drowned out .

Should Mumsnet be divided so
' middle classes 'can discuss things the poor don't relate to and likewise ' the poor ' can discuss their issues without ' tone deaf ' comments from people who aren't financially destitute ?

The other thing I don't get is why jump on a thread you don't like why not just scroll on by and join a discussion you do like . Being a hater is never going to resolve anything .

OP posts:
5128gap · 16/04/2022 22:41

@GreenTeaPingPong

I thought your thread title was somewhat tongue in cheek, OP, although with a serious point in your post.

One thing I have learned since being on MN is the absolute hatred some people have towards people they deem as 'middle class'. It's used as a term of abuse; while no-one would dare call someone a 'working class wanker'.

I don't see a lot of people deeming others as MC on here. I see a lot of self defining as MC, which unfortunately often comes accompanied by some snobbery and am implication of being superior to others, that they seem to think is necessary to prove their MC credentials. I think the hatred is directed at that, rather than at people who are genuinely MC, and so never need to announce it, or give it much thought.
Tobacco · 16/04/2022 22:41

@IncompleteSenten

No. People should be exposed to others who have different lives and opinions. In real life most of us live in our little bubbles of sameness. Encountering a wide variety of different people is a good thing.
Agree with this
Original poster
hattie43 · 16/04/2022 22:45

@WimpyKidYouNot

OP - do you know how tone deaf you sound?
Yawn - be more original and start adding to the discussions , you're the people being moaned about just chucking the tone deaf around without actually contributing anything .
OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock1 · 16/04/2022 22:46

Education is free , hard work and aspiration are free , I worked two jobs as a kid to get by but now their is a huge entitlement to think the government should step in to put right all the ills people suffer .

It always surprises me how narrow minded the educated can be when it comes to life experiences that don't mirror their own.

Longleggedgiraffe · 16/04/2022 22:46

Why would you ant to have such a divisive approach on here? To me, it doesn't matter a jot what class you're in. We're all humans and supposed to be equal. We can't keep second guessing what other people will say.

"Should Mumsnet be divided so
' middle classes 'can discuss things the poor don't relate to and likewise ' the poor ' can discuss their issues without ' tone deaf ' comments from people who aren't financially destitute ?"

I find this statement quite condescending, tbh. I'm quite capable of understanding we each have different standards of living and don't need to be protected by being kept in a different compartment in case I'm offended or don't understand anything.

BojoMamanBebe · 16/04/2022 22:47

Stop being obtuse, op. Obviously it's not nice to make fun of anyone.
I notice you still haven't defined middle class.

crosstalk · 16/04/2022 22:51

Oh come on. I've learnt a lot on here. I ignore "I've only got £1m where should I buy in London" and "Eton or Dulwich?" Some of the political, feminist, legal, medical and housing issues have been great. I never knew there were so many nasty MILs (but then we don't post about the lovely ones) or so many aggravating neighbours. As for parking (with a diagram) - no end to it.

Just so you all know, my pet hate is people who live in cities who presume you can walk/catch a bus/train/tube to get to your job.

WimpyKidYouNot · 16/04/2022 22:52

Starting a thread about class on MN is in no way original.

You should have your own area. It can be called OW - the obnoxious wannabe’s.

Maverickess · 16/04/2022 22:58

@EmeraldShamrock1

Education is free , hard work and aspiration are free , I worked two jobs as a kid to get by but now their is a huge entitlement to think the government should step in to put right all the ills people suffer .

It always surprises me how narrow minded the educated can be when it comes to life experiences that don't mirror their own.

Indeed. Problem as well is that 'the poor' have had this wonderful, free education some people like to bang on about, but seeing as we need most low paid jobs to make society function, someone still has to do them - difference is we're now educated and know exactly how much we're being taken the piss out of by those who rely on the services provided to actually be able to do their job in the first page. Not gonna be earning 6 figures if you're at home looking after your own kids/granny with dementia are you?
TheGirlWhoLived · 16/04/2022 23:05

Maybe on some threads you can get an mnhq announcement “this seems too high class for you, maybe you would like netmums?”

jytdtysrht · 16/04/2022 23:09

No I think that people should just not write nasty comments. There’s no need to reply on a thread if it doesn’t interest you.

If someone wants to ask which colour of F&B to instruct their decorator to put on the walls of their 2nd holiday home, they ought to be able to ask it without being told that they are a selfish rich bastard for having a holiday home, posh paint and and decorator. And that they are depriving local people of a home. How would it go down if a struggling single mum put that she had £10 for food for the kids for the week and someone replied: well you are a bad mum and you should have got a better job before having kids. It’s nastiness in both cases, with the comment being of no use to anyone and hurtful to the OP.

People just need to behave IMO. We don’t need any further divisions in society or MN.

ItsLisaLou · 16/04/2022 23:20

No, but I do think there should be a section for people who add spaces before all punctuation…

Diverseopinions · 16/04/2022 23:21

I think one of the strengths of Mumsnet is the breadth of responses. People should be allowed to state a view and to be in the minority, as their opinion is as valid as those which are popular. A poster can see the overall scatter chart of responses and get a feel for where they stand.

People with money are always going to be embarrassed into thinking about those less fortunate, in 2022. They will just need to suck it up, or get a social conscience because there is a wide consensus that business is less fair than it used to be, and that there are fewer little companies started by gutsy entrepreneurs - because they get bought out...witness what happens with independent estate agents, drinks companies, etc. There is an assumption that if you make it, you are over-privileged.

But I think people come on Mumsnet to commune with upper middle class folk. I think even questions about what it is like to be very blessed, good-looking, rich, a rich husband are often a means of pigeonholing other posters.

I like the fact you can get expert legal advice on here.

imnottoofussed · 16/04/2022 23:22

I think we need a section for people living on another planet who have no idea how the other half live at all. Maybe call it the privileged. Or the oblivious/gormless/self absorbed.

Alightjacket · 16/04/2022 23:25

Pointing out that purchasing second/holiday homes is pricing out the locals from affording a home in the town where they grew up, where all their family are, isn't being nasty. It's a economic crisis having serious impact on local communities, especially on the south west coast. It's not being nasty to point it out and make people more aware of that.

lameasahorse · 16/04/2022 23:27

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Lostthefairytale · 16/04/2022 23:28

Mumsnet is the middle class section.

lameasahorse · 16/04/2022 23:28

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

SW1amp · 16/04/2022 23:32

Bank holidays always bring out the worst on MN.

Drinking plus boredom plus stress from being towards the end of school holidays make for some absolutely horrible replies in some threads

I still remember a thread I started asking for recommendations on dishwashers, where more than half the replies were from people telling me their didn’t own a dishwasher and washed up by hand

I still don’t know what motivated them to open, let alone comment on a thread that was called something like ‘can you recommend me a dishwasher brand’, but nowt as queer as tipsy weekend folk

Blossomtoes · 16/04/2022 23:36

Bank holidays always bring out the worst on MN

I hadn’t thought of that. I thought earlier how fractious it was today.

Happyhulahooping · 16/04/2022 23:37

I really enjoy reading most of the posts on here. So much variety, help and interesting information available! There is not many times I have been disgusted re a Mumsnet post however “The Poor” being used has really shocked me. So awful, unacceptable, nasty and hurtful. The poster and all of those seeing it as acceptable, ought to be ashamed of themselves. Horrible.

EmeraldShamrock1 · 17/04/2022 00:13

@Lostthefairytale

Mumsnet is the middle class section.

Delusional, the username is perfect.

It's no wonder Anna Sorokin fooled the elites. The delusions of one's self worth placing them above others, deciding whose worthy of joining the gang.

It's a funny world. 😄

Stylishkidintheriot · 17/04/2022 00:13

I thought that mumsnet was the middle class website!

Stylishkidintheriot · 17/04/2022 00:15

In all seriousness one of the main reasons I use mumsnet is that I get to read the perspectives of other people that either I wouldn’t meet in day to day life, and you’re more likely to get their honest opinions on an anonymous forum

EmeraldShamrock1 · 17/04/2022 00:32

I thought that mumsnet was the middle class website!

Mumsnet is very diverse with people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds.

It has many avenues depending on what threads you read.