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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to this Mumsnet is pretty brutal…

91 replies

Newtothis12345 · 06/06/2023 22:30

Just reading through some of the threads- Mumsnet is pretty bloody brutal- should there not be a warning to people feeling low/insecure/sad to be careful! Sort of light hearted but I’m amazed how quickly seemingly bland threads can descend into cat fights, must leave the original poster feeling horrible seeing all the nasty things people can write about them. Posters often fixate on one tiny piece of information in the original post and tear the person to threads. Be nice!

OP posts:
romdowa · 07/06/2023 11:39

Newtothis12345 · 06/06/2023 22:41

You’re right and it’s dangerous as people often post when they’re in need of help and could do without getting a roasting from people hiding behind their phones- they’re probably the most cowardly in real life too! I also agree about people being bored and hoping online to pick a fight!!

If anyone is feeling particularly vunerable then the Internet really isn't the place for them to be. Especially not a forum like mumsnet. Nobody here is responsible for anyone else's mental health. Just their own. I hate all this be kind bullshit , some people don't deserve other peoples kindness

inappropriateraspberry · 07/06/2023 11:42

I've always found the genuine posts from people in a dark place are dealt with empathy and sympathy and the OP gets great advice and support.
It's the more trivial posts that can get catty - because they're about rubbish in the first place!

Florissante · 07/06/2023 11:44

If you post in AIBU, be prepared for the responses you might get. If you don't want to be challenged, post in another area.

JaninaDuszejko · 07/06/2023 11:47

MN has always been known as a nest of vipers. If anything it's actually much nicer than that, you just need to avoid AIBU. There's loads of helpful advice on here, it's my favourite place.

LadyGrinningSoul85 · 07/06/2023 11:51

TwoFluffyDogsOnMyBed · 06/06/2023 22:58

Yes it’s harsh. It’s very ‘benefit bashing’ and very much a race to the bottom ie I have to work 70 hours a week, bring up 5 children and live on beans and rice and so should everyone else.

Very much what the government wants….everyone bickering amongst themselves while they and their cronies get away with all manner of things.

100% this.

I laugh at some of the comments regarding benefits on here.

Some of these people would get a nasty shock if they were on benefits themselves and saw that actually you don't get to live a life of luxury, laughing at all the stupid employed people whilst watching your high end, flat screen TV.

It's bloody hard, you scrape by most days.
But do continue to feel hard done by and carry on voting for the party that makes life a living hell for most people, and direct your hate downwards.
Don't focus too much on what those in power are really doing, that would be most inconvenient.

I also follow this poster's advice of 'say what you've got to say and then don't read the replies.'

I've had notifications to tell me if been quoted and replies to and all I do is ignore it.
I'm not reading someone's arsey response to me and then getting locked in a back and forth.
I'm satisfied with what I've said, I know I'm right and I'm happy to move on with my day and not return to the thread to see what others think of my opinion.
Literally couldn't care less what others reply with.
I won't be back to this thread either. It is what it is.

Indigodreaming · 07/06/2023 11:54

Maybe its because mumsnetters are a bit bored with the same old stuff being rehashed?

Yes, mumsnet can be a harsh brutal place, but its also amazing for those who need support

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/3354816-harsh-horrible-nb-mumsnetters

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/feeling_depressed/4033922-Mumsnet-can-be-a-brutal-place

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1229367-Why-is-everyone-so-mean-on-mumsnet

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3258338-about-the-mean-spiritedness-on-mumsnet-at-times

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3910295-To-think-that-some-people-on-Mumsnet-are-really-mean

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4734850-i-think-mumsnet-is-no-longer-fit-for-purpose-in-the-spirit-it-was-meant-to-be

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4792796-to-think-that-mumsnetters-are-getting-more-mean

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/370302-mumsnet-has-showed-me-the-meaning-of-prejudice

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/536121-to-be-reduced-to-a-quivering-wreck-by-lots-of

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2620743-AIBU-to-Worry-that-Mumsnetters-Can-be-Too-Mean-and-Judgemental

Harsh / horrible NB Mumsnetters | Mumsnet

I&#39;ve thought long and hard about posting this but feel I need to get it off my chest. <br><br>I posted the other day on AIBU about a situation, no...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/3354816-harsh-horrible-nb-mumsnetters

TheYearOfSmallThings · 07/06/2023 11:56

As for the people who hijack threads to have a never ending argument with one other poster… selfish.

Oh I hate that too. Perfectly interesting threads ruined by two people going back and forth like dogs fighting over a bone.

Tiredmum100 · 07/06/2023 11:58

I agree OP, thats why I've only ever started threads about holiday destinations or similar I think. I would hate to feel vulnerable/upset, post for advice, only to be torn to shreads.

Newtothis12345 · 07/06/2023 12:00

Enyin · 07/06/2023 10:55

I can't tell you how much it bugs me when I see a comment like "Are you always this xxx?" Or "Have you always been so xxx?"
Oh f- off, you would never respond with such nastiness in real life, so why do it here

I completely agree!!

OP posts:
DismantledKing · 07/06/2023 12:02

It’s the same as it’s always been

Confusedmumannoyedson · 07/06/2023 12:03

There are post that are unkind and should be called out but there are also posts that are factual but some would label unkind. The use of 'be kind' is used as a pushback to women to make them accept certain things that many know they shouldn't accept.

Oxfam - another organisation that has gone down the trying to please the trans ideologists is just brutal to women. So there is a push back from GC women. People are fed up of 'be kind' when it means shut up and listen to us and do what we want you to do.

This post on another thread shows how much women have been pushed into being kind and ignoring men encroaching on their safe spaces and the rush by organisations to jump on the trans bandwagon.

"mommyisbest · Yesterday 23:31

I’m a British Pakistani Muslim woman. I give to Oxfam and endeavour to make donations to Oxfam as well as shop at my local store in preference to other charity shops. I have a strong affinity to Oxfam because of its history of identifying need and tackling it.

I will no longer be supporting you. You have allowed your charitable purpose to be hijacked. What kept me loyal to Oxfam despite recent difficulties is that it is a charity that finds what needs to be done and seeks solutions without fear or favour. There is no scope for ideology in this. Everyone who is needy benefits. No questions are asked about people’s religious or political affiliation.

As a minority- ethnically and religiously- I depend on pluralism in order to express my culture and my religious beliefs. I don’t require anyone to validate my beliefs. I just need society to accept that I have my own beliefs. I don’t need anyone to say Salaam to me or call me sister and I don’t impose this on anyone. By the same token I don’t want to be forced to validate other people by modifying language to include concepts I don’t accept ie describing myself as cis or finding which pronoun suits me based on my sexuality or masculine/feminine leanings.

In discouraging the use of words such as male or female, modifying expressions that reference human biology, replacing one word for another such as prostitution for sex worker, you have pursued an ideological agenda which has nothing to do with your purpose or aims.

You have decided to champion that ideology in favour of other ideologies. When challenged on your dogmatic stance you have taken an unpluralist view by stating that it is the best ideology as it is, in your view, the most inclusive.

In saying this you disregard most people in the world who come from collectivist cultures where identity stems from family and community and not from Western notions of individualism where identify stems from pronouns or sexual orientation or gender identity.

That is not to say that collectivist cultures do not have active and vibrant LGBT people. But they are not asserting this in the same way and never have. To see all these LGBT people in such a monolithic way is to reduce and simplify even those people you think you are including. This is a form of cultural imperialism. Other countries have strong LGBT heritage and it’s not the same as yours.

Your latest attempt at evangelising, has led you to depict those of a different ideology (who believe biology is more important than socially constructed gender) as ugly, older women termed TERFS. Where will you go next? Will you depict Muslims similarly after all the Quran does not mention gender identity once? If you are to be consistent I don’t see that you have any choice.

For all these reasons I won’t have anything more to do with you.
Shazia"

Newtothis12345 · 07/06/2023 12:06

IncompleteSenten · 07/06/2023 11:24

Sorry, no.
An expectation placed on women that is not placed on men should not be accepted.

I would have the same opinion if it was called dadsnet, it’s nothing to do with it being women or not, I thought there were a few men posting anyway.

OP posts:
Newtothis12345 · 07/06/2023 12:09

Florissante · 07/06/2023 11:44

If you post in AIBU, be prepared for the responses you might get. If you don't want to be challenged, post in another area.

Interesting. Reading through lots of threads I haven’t noticed a big difference between AIBU and the other threads.

OP posts:
Brefugee · 07/06/2023 12:19

if you think replies or posts are against the rules, or the spirit of MN, feel free to report. And MN will feel free to delete or not in response.
It's not rocket surgery.

JulieHoney · 07/06/2023 13:20

begaydocrime42 · 07/06/2023 11:22

Sorry... no. Whilst there is undeniably an expectation on women to be kind/nice/understanding from a societal standpoint, I don't see the issue with this. I'm in a few male dominated groups and forums, they can be really harsh and my point is why wouldn't we want to do better, try to have empathy etc? Besides, plenty of female dominated groups I'm in are flipside/extremely supportive. MN is not one of those.

It's so easy to be opinionated on here and strongly reinforce what you believe, but when was the last time any of us actually placed ourselves in someone else's shoes and extended empathy?

It's not the fact that women are allowed to be just as rude as men, it's the fact that on this forum people don't really seem to ever think about the other side, it's very much "I think". It's a bit rigid and yeah sometimes you can quite literally sense people's own unhappiness filtering into their vitriolic slagging off. Firm believer that harsh/judgy comments stem from people's own insecurities.

No real solution but I wouldn't ever post here for advice for myself, I do enjoy the threads though.

I couldn't disagree more!

Women are constantly expected to put others first, moderate their tone or language, be nice, be gentle, be accommodating. MN is a rare place where women forthrightly set out what they think and why. It's refreshing.

I also profoundly disagre that no one changes their minds, that we're all just shouting entrenched positions. I've changed my view about masses of things since joining MN, as I am exposed to circumstances far outside my own and experiences I couldn't previously relate to. I've seen others do the same.

It's after you log off and are thinking about what a particular PP said that it has an impact. You can't see people's perspectives change on a single thread, necessarily.

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 02/10/2023 10:18

CheeseDreamsTonight · 06/06/2023 22:48

Sometimes in life everyone is so bloody diplomatic, Mumsnet makes a nice change.

This. Be nice can fuck off.

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