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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WTF has happened to Mumsnet?

267 replies

Humblebottomous · 29/10/2023 08:45

First we had troll posts, then massive influx of posters from the US (frankly I found it annoying negotiating the different reference points) and now all these ridiculous AI threads which seem to consist of long winded posts about non-problems.

I’ve been on and off MN for years but does anyone else feel it really has had it’s day.

OP posts:
phoenixrosehere · 31/10/2023 16:02

Goldenbear · 30/10/2023 20:56

I am sure your correct that many don't know about the legal and political system of the US but that's because this is a UK based site.

More Brits are going to appreciate the issues around Brexit than Americans as it directly impacts us.

The U.S is more conservative that is reflected in their politics, they would never in a million years have a Corbyn running as Opposition for example. The reality TV is relevant as it demonstrates how politics is really about populism in the US.

*I am sure your correct that many don't know about the legal and political system of the US but that's because this is a UK based site.

More Brits are going to appreciate the issues around Brexit than Americans as it directly impacts us.*

I know yet again it is still Brits on a UK site complaining about Americans being on here when the majority on here actually live in the UK and/or have done so for years so they are aware of both regions’ politics and cultural norms (region dependent, of course). It is British posters who bring up American issues as you say on a UK site, many who have not only never lived there but have never step foot there but it’s ok for them to sprout ignorant nonsense and straddle the line of xenophobia but it doesn’t fly when it comes to other countries.

Rosiem2808 · 31/10/2023 16:06

@fluffypotatoes

What's wrong with Americans?

They are American

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 16:07

Goldenbear · 30/10/2023 20:56

I am sure your correct that many don't know about the legal and political system of the US but that's because this is a UK based site.

More Brits are going to appreciate the issues around Brexit than Americans as it directly impacts us.

The U.S is more conservative that is reflected in their politics, they would never in a million years have a Corbyn running as Opposition for example. The reality TV is relevant as it demonstrates how politics is really about populism in the US.

No, ignorance of the US, the superpower with the most relevance to life and politics in the wes, is the result of deficiencies in the education of a great many posters, combined with a large dollop of xenophobia.

It surely must be plain at this point that there are very few Brits who appreciate the issues around Brexit, since it was approved in the referendum and the party that presided over that referendum has been in power ever since and there is still nonsign that anyone in it understands its repercussions.

Jeremy Corbyn was pushed aside because the howling of the gutter press turned him into a political pariah. Where is Corbyn now? Outer Mongolia. There was a point in recent British political affairs where all the Tories had to do in any debate on any topic was say, "But Corbyn!" End of discussion. Such is the power of the tabloids. And Labour has no coherent policy when it comes to Brexit either.

British politics is manipulated by the intensely political and powerful tabloid press, to an extent that is shocking to the rest of Europe and the US. It's populism in action, to the Nth degree. Hence Boris Johnson, journo turned politician turned journo, with the only constant in his career being the correct instinct that cultivating a persona and becoming a 'character', even down to his choice of hairstyle, was the way to the top.

The picture you're trying to paint of an American electorate and American people and culture in general is part of a compare and contrast exercise designed to present Britain as moderate and sensible and progressive. I don't think there are many left of centre voters in the UK who would share this view.

You should be aware that the thoughtful American press offers regular coverage and analysis of British politics and economics, aimed at a readership that is correctly assumed to understand a great deal of the background.

EasternStandard · 31/10/2023 16:09

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 16:07

No, ignorance of the US, the superpower with the most relevance to life and politics in the wes, is the result of deficiencies in the education of a great many posters, combined with a large dollop of xenophobia.

It surely must be plain at this point that there are very few Brits who appreciate the issues around Brexit, since it was approved in the referendum and the party that presided over that referendum has been in power ever since and there is still nonsign that anyone in it understands its repercussions.

Jeremy Corbyn was pushed aside because the howling of the gutter press turned him into a political pariah. Where is Corbyn now? Outer Mongolia. There was a point in recent British political affairs where all the Tories had to do in any debate on any topic was say, "But Corbyn!" End of discussion. Such is the power of the tabloids. And Labour has no coherent policy when it comes to Brexit either.

British politics is manipulated by the intensely political and powerful tabloid press, to an extent that is shocking to the rest of Europe and the US. It's populism in action, to the Nth degree. Hence Boris Johnson, journo turned politician turned journo, with the only constant in his career being the correct instinct that cultivating a persona and becoming a 'character', even down to his choice of hairstyle, was the way to the top.

The picture you're trying to paint of an American electorate and American people and culture in general is part of a compare and contrast exercise designed to present Britain as moderate and sensible and progressive. I don't think there are many left of centre voters in the UK who would share this view.

You should be aware that the thoughtful American press offers regular coverage and analysis of British politics and economics, aimed at a readership that is correctly assumed to understand a great deal of the background.

Is political coverage of your own politics much better in the US?

It’s not that hard to find intelligent analysis here in the UK in any case.

MorvernBlack · 31/10/2023 16:24

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 16:07

No, ignorance of the US, the superpower with the most relevance to life and politics in the wes, is the result of deficiencies in the education of a great many posters, combined with a large dollop of xenophobia.

It surely must be plain at this point that there are very few Brits who appreciate the issues around Brexit, since it was approved in the referendum and the party that presided over that referendum has been in power ever since and there is still nonsign that anyone in it understands its repercussions.

Jeremy Corbyn was pushed aside because the howling of the gutter press turned him into a political pariah. Where is Corbyn now? Outer Mongolia. There was a point in recent British political affairs where all the Tories had to do in any debate on any topic was say, "But Corbyn!" End of discussion. Such is the power of the tabloids. And Labour has no coherent policy when it comes to Brexit either.

British politics is manipulated by the intensely political and powerful tabloid press, to an extent that is shocking to the rest of Europe and the US. It's populism in action, to the Nth degree. Hence Boris Johnson, journo turned politician turned journo, with the only constant in his career being the correct instinct that cultivating a persona and becoming a 'character', even down to his choice of hairstyle, was the way to the top.

The picture you're trying to paint of an American electorate and American people and culture in general is part of a compare and contrast exercise designed to present Britain as moderate and sensible and progressive. I don't think there are many left of centre voters in the UK who would share this view.

You should be aware that the thoughtful American press offers regular coverage and analysis of British politics and economics, aimed at a readership that is correctly assumed to understand a great deal of the background.

Well said. The xenophobia on MN is embarrassing...an English forum, for English people.

MorvernBlack · 31/10/2023 16:27

It’s not that hard to find intelligent analysis here in the UK in any case

I'd dispute that if we are talking about free to view coverage. Even our supposedly left wing paper The Guardian absolutely rubbished Corbyn.

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 16:28

@EasternStandard
Yes, there is excellent political coverage in the US, with a great many thoughtful discussion and analysis programmes on TV, not least on PBS, and in print media as well as online.

There is of course excellent, thoughtful reporting on British politics in the UK, but the longstanding, powerful influence of the tabloids on opinion in the UK is a feature of British life that does not have an equivalent elsewhere.

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 17:18

FrogFighter · 30/10/2023 06:40

@throwawayaway1 the big mystery for me is why people think that Britain should be open minded and warm hearted when the rest of the world is anything but.

you are painting Britain in that way is like looking back at ‘the good ol days’ I.E. Before this country went through the biggest seismic shift in its demographic population in its history.

Today there is no unified Britain. Britain is just a backdrop for a gathering of cultures and politically diverse groups that happen to rub along ok for most of the time.

this is the place you are disparaging. The other one cannot exist because there is no single British culture.

'Britain is just a backdrop for a gathering of cultures and politically diverse groups that happen to rub along ok for most of the time'.

I'd agree with that to a point. It is a 'united kingdom' after all, consisting of four parts, and all of them have a distinct history, all of which became part of the whole under varying circumstances and with varying degrees of support for unification under the Crown.

The bit you miss in your post is that your description could apply not just to Britain but to the Commonwealth, and you're forgetting that the British monarch was once, and in some cases still is, the Empress, Emperor, or Monarch of many of the countries from which immigrants arrive in Britain. Either that, or they were once 'Protectorates' of Britain, or Britain had a part in the often cack-handed drawing of their current borders.

NotTerfNorCis · 31/10/2023 17:22

Are there really AI generated threads? Can someone give me an example? I'm dubious. AI actually needs a lot of prompts to create a convincing story. There was a thread recently when people tried it out, and the results were bland and dull and felt 'off'.

Deathwillbebutapause · 31/10/2023 17:47

It’s not that hard to find intelligent analysis here in the UK in any case.

A bold claim.

EasternStandard · 31/10/2023 19:46

Deathwillbebutapause · 31/10/2023 17:47

It’s not that hard to find intelligent analysis here in the UK in any case.

A bold claim.

Edited

What do you access?

ACGTHelixA · 31/10/2023 19:47

Online communities can undergo shifts for various reasons, including changes in user demographics, increased activity, or the introduction of new topics and features.

EasternStandard · 31/10/2023 19:51

mathanxiety · 31/10/2023 16:28

@EasternStandard
Yes, there is excellent political coverage in the US, with a great many thoughtful discussion and analysis programmes on TV, not least on PBS, and in print media as well as online.

There is of course excellent, thoughtful reporting on British politics in the UK, but the longstanding, powerful influence of the tabloids on opinion in the UK is a feature of British life that does not have an equivalent elsewhere.

Isn’t Fox News your version?

Maybe not tabloid but popular

I have lived in US (and Aus and U.K.)

I can’t say any one out strips another, they all have the populist and thoughtful.

ManAboutTown · 01/11/2023 01:05

I think we should welcome international posters - whether they be from the US, Europe or elsewhere for that matter. If a topic relates to something speciific to the UK like the education system or a legal issue it obviously makes it more difficult for someone outside the UK to post with knowledge - although to be fair I've seen plenty of posts from people in the UK who appear to be quite ignorant of the facts.

In the end though a lot of stuff on here is about shit relationships, child raising issues and so forth and I think those sort of things are fairly universal

Pipistrellus · 01/11/2023 07:17

There are a lot of parenting norms that are not universal, especially around child independence.

Vettrianofan · 01/11/2023 14:28

MorvernBlack · 31/10/2023 16:24

Well said. The xenophobia on MN is embarrassing...an English forum, for English people.

"English forum for English people" is it?

Here we are excluding Scottish, Welsh and N Irish (and Irish!). Xenophobia certainly is rife on here!🤦🏻

Goldenbear · 02/11/2023 15:57

Vettrianofan · 01/11/2023 14:28

"English forum for English people" is it?

Here we are excluding Scottish, Welsh and N Irish (and Irish!). Xenophobia certainly is rife on here!🤦🏻

Another annoying thing about 2020s Mumsnet, the deliberate twisting of meaning for some imagined affront!

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