I know it’s been done before … but why do some posters have to reply when they don’t know the answer?

[Rosesandbee]

A few weeks ago I had a fairly niche question relating to my line of work, clearly indicated in the post title. I had several replies loftily informing me I could not do what I was planning to do from posters who did not work in my job. Other posters were clearly correcting them and providing links showing this. But they were not perturbed by this and continued telling me and others how right they were and how wrong we were.

And you see it on threads relating to other countries - posters who live there will say ‘nope that’s not quite right’ and still they insist they are. Or benefits, or housing, or just about anything!

Do they just feel the need to say something, anything? Like annoying kids who raise their hands when they don’t know the answer just because they like hearing a voice? Or do they genuinely believe their knowledge encompasses everyone else’s?

A lot of the questions and answers are done by marketing agencies anyway.

I think it’s because people lead quite small, inconsequential lives, good portions of which are carried out online and on forums such as Mumsnet, so they create personas with all the traits they’d like to have, that make them feel important.

Some people take it too far and try to feel big and clever by being cunts to OPs having a shit time, and that’s when it takes a really dark turn.

"Don't want to read and run..."

Then follows a big paragraph of pointlessness.

Some of the advice on medical threads is dangerous. I read one where someone had a burn and was told to put butter on it!

Anyone else remember 'I AM CANADIAN'? Can't remember the poster's name but she was so polite and patient.

Oh I think I’ve been guilty of this at some point.

1. answering to say I don’t know -I’ve done this to help keep the thread in active. Not often but if the op seems desperate
2. answering with my similar situation and saying what happened with that if I think it might help. Again not often but if I think it’s relevant

I don’t claim to be an expert on anything though!

Someone linked to it again a few weeks ago. I think the poster might have been StewieGriffithsMum.

My facepalm ones are when posters disagree with me about recipes for Italian dishes. "Italians put X, Y and Z into tomato sauce, only ever make their own and handmake pasta every day".

I've only been in Italy since 1994 and DH is only one Italian chef but it does tickle him when I read the posts to him.

The ones who don't know but them go on to say WHY they don't know are weird and I think sometimes done to be a bit mischievous E.g. question about bottle feeding "i can't help as I breastfed" (seen on here the other day).

To be fair your OP made me think, why do people start threads when they know the answers from previous ones?

The whole Breast versus Bottle thing gets out of hand,at the best of times!

During Covid we were prioritised for supermarket home delivery. My local supermarket then started doing click and collect and was thinking about changing to it but as we weren’t supposed to leave the house if anyone had covid symptoms I asked on here what others were doing if they found themselves in that situation. I had about three different poster telling me I COULDN’T leave the house if anyone has Covid symptoms. So I specifically told them that already knew that and could they suggest what I COULD do. Oddly enough never heard a peep out of them again on that thread. I think some people love the idea of berating others

Dunning–Kruger effect

I think you're spot on.