To wonder why there’s so much talk on politics on mumsnet?

[Chloefairydust]

Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s important to know what’s going on in the world and I’m as angry at the government as the next woman…

But sometimes it’s nice to come on mumsnet for a bit of escapism, and the lighter hearted topics…

Am I alone here?

I can’t really see any hope for improvement in politics anytime soon.

Me either, we're all going to hell in a handcart. And we have been since I first voted back in 1979.

Nothing I say on here is really going to change anything.

What people say here doesn't change anything but the discussions help to clear my head and sort out my ideas and the links people provide are very useful when you want to write letter to an MP, find out who's campaigning, if there's a local event, who needs cash for a legal crowdfunder.

And there's usually a lighthearted thread going on somewhere. With winter coming how about this (sweary)

?

@MorganSeventh yes!

however I do like fluffy kittens, too; and you have to have a bit of Janey Godley in every day. Thank you @AmaryllisNightAndDay

Same.

I went to a cafe the other day for a coffee and some cake. They had both of those things but they also had some paninis and orange juice.

I couldn't believe it! I'd already had orange juice for my breakfast and I wasn't hungry enough for a panini.

There was a woman actually eating a panini so confronted her about it. She said I could just not have a panini if I wasn't hungry but I don't even want to see a panini. Why should I?

Maybe try Nethuns if MN is a bit heavy for you

So, OP - can you explain why it is that you feel that politics is unsuitable for MN and MNetters, or why you think that MN should avoid topics which you personally find blood-pressure-raising but other MNers find interesting and important, rather than the obvious solution of you just sticking to the more escapist threads? There is a Hide option, you know?

Politics affects lives. Our lives are lived in the framework of society. The structure of society dictates what we can and cannot do and how we survive.

If you cannot see why that would be of interest to mothers, try these examples:

• the NHS is broken, has been run down for decades, now resulting directly in maternal deaths in childbirth
• schools are too busy focussing on the correct ink to mark work in to actually educate our kids - I make more progress with one of mine in weeks than the school manages in years
• but unlike women of previous generations I cannot afford not to work, thanks to most of my life’s work spent on paying buy-to-let landlords

Is that enough of a starter? Or you could try reading Selina Todd. I really don’t have the time and money to gossip about getting my hair and nails done!

Your comment about watching TV reminds me of this Atwood quotation:

That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary. There wasn't even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. There wasn't even an enemy you could put your finger on.

Margaret Atwood

Any time more people become engaged by and active in politics is a good thing. It's just a pity that it tends to be mainly once things have gone to absolute shit that previously indifferent people start to take notice, and people get motivated and/or radicalised.

If more people were engaged enough to have understood what a pile of shite 'leave' were spouting, what a bunch of crooks Boris and his cronies were, we may have avoided this omnishambolic clusterfuck altogether, but then I laugh at the people who voted for it and get all outraged at the suggestion they did so out of sheer ignorance. I mean, you knew about all this, saw it coming, and still went ahead and voted for it anyway? Really? That doesn't paint you in any better a light that just admitting you were clueless all along.

It is a lot you’ve just got to avoid the threads - hide them etc

It’s generally not in one topic so harder to hide that

Couldn't agree more.

If nobody spoke about politics on Mn, Twitter, Facebook, in real life, the government would get away with anything! The only reason we got rid of Johnson is because the the general public did not stop talking about PartyGate.

KEEP TALKING because the Tory’s hate it.

The state of the country today is where you get when you don't talk politics. It really is that simple.

Because the decisions made by politics affect our life.

*politicians

Put together a favourite threads, and avoid the political ones. Chat is usually pretty easy to read

Politically there is an awful lot got on so it’s not surprising, but if you click on active threads, you might see two or three political threads, and dozens upon dozens that aren’t, so yabu.

To be honest, my Twitter feed is half politics and half kittens, otters and capybaras.

I know!
What are we doing troubling our pretty little heads with politics for.

Politics affects everyone so it would be odd if it wasn’t discussed on here.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross I think that is what we have come to sadly! Look at the NHS clapping in Covid, a distraction from the real issue which is lack of Doctors, lack of beds, a complex system too heavy with managers, workers expected to do much with too little while the big wigs sit looking at data and have meeting about meetings about a restructure that is ALWAYS happening but never changes anything on the ground apart from to demoralise people more.

@WiseUpJanetWeiss No idea what a capybara is but off to look which just shows how wonderful MN is! A new fluffy to grace my life!

Capybaras are brilliant! Did you know they can jump? Our local zoo had to raise the enclosures.

See how you are getting shot down OP.
This is exactly why l don' t get involved with politics, it makes people so angry, bitter and hateful. Who would be so gullable enough to believe a politician to act on what they say ?

Plenty of other threads for you to read then, you wazzock.

Oh you are in for a treat. Massive guinea pigs.

On politics, I'm with the awesome Skin. Everything's political...