Over Literal Posters

[SusanandMidge]

I joined MN years ago and I don't remember so many posters taking everything so literally. People used to start tongue in cheek or light hearted threads and they would just take off, everyone joining in with witty and amusing comments.

Now threads like that always seem to be killed off within a few posts by people coming on and telling off the OP or lecturing her, or in other ways taking her post ever so seriously.

I'm not talking about threads that are racist or disablist or anything like that. Just posts that would have resulted in a long and very funny thread a few years ago.

The wit has gone but I think it's the same everywhere, not just on MN. People are constantly looking for faults and things to complain about. Or be offended by.

So what is you AIBU OP? Does your thread have one?

Yes you're probably right. Shame though. I used to get so much enjoyment from this forum. But the sparkle and wit has definitely gone.

maybe not, but I think your post does.

yes, it used to be funny “round these parts”. Humour has reduced as offence taking has increased even over the horizon into workplaces and corporate entities

It does seem to be most of the Internet sadly, also noticed the op is rarely in the right, no matter what they post. On reddit a lot of subs seem to be inverted, a sub will be filled with "people" slagging off the thing the sub is about.

I think elegant wordplay has basically disappeared from common usage. I like to use colourful metaphors and turns of phrase but they are often - and often deliberately - misconstrued. Eg if you talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water someone will say something sanctimonious about babies and baths. That’s probably not a great example but I do find myself having to explain very common turns of phrase to colleagues.

Now threads like that always seem to be killed off

Thread violence! Shame on you OP