To think that Forum Foggers are a pain in the @rse

[estrogone]

Over and over again, I see threads where the OP is really clear about an issue or event.

Then what I call the foggers come along and almost deliberately misunderstand the OP - I don't know why they do it. They go off on a tangent and no matter how hard the OP tries to steer things back to the OP - the thread is all fogged up with irrelevant and sometimes bizarre posts.

AIBU to think it's happening more and more and to be really irritated by people who deliberately misread just so they can make a point?

Like yesterday’s (?) where OP’s DH had progressed at work and become unbearably arrogant and putting her down. She gave an example over his criticism of using a diary and page 1 was a basically just the benefits of using paper over a digital calendar 🤦‍♀️

It’s all of the above.

Unfortunately many people are sufficiently egotistical- and oblivious to it- that they misunderstand the point of the thread in favour of their pet topic.

You know those people who take any conversational starter and turn it into their own pet subject? That.
The ones who ask a question and don’t wait for you to answer.
The ones who can only think about their own life and relate everything to ‘this one time, at band camp..’.

They all hang out on keyboards as well as in RL conversations.

@Shitmonger It comes down to poor moderation of the forum

Basically, this. If the mods did (or were given the powers to do) a proper job then it would be nipped in the bud. I’m on the verge of just leaving because it can be so unpleasant sometimes.

People sometimes suggest having the ability to block people but that suggestion is always turned down by Mumsnet. I’m not sure why. Sometimes if someone is being obnoxious I’ll search their other posts, and without exception, they are a shit show too.

Sorry to say it here, but Reddit is much better in this regard.

Mumsnet HQ, you’re going to end up with a terrible forum if you don’t do something about it.

If a mod descended after a page or two of derailing or a series of posts querying something in the OP that has already been explained and just being visible - a sort of moderation ‘ahem’ - I think it would be quite effective without feeling heavy handed.

I've seem some very snide faux naive derailing on here. Some people really do get off on it and clog up threads. They usually only succeed in showing themselves up as pieces of work. Thick ones.

There's a thread atm in chat about spiked drinks. Someone has managed to start an in thread discussion over the word "roofied". They could've looked it up on line and left the thread well alone.

It can sometimes be a bit upsetting. There was a thread about someone who had been asked to organise something for her dying mil. And poster after poster saying "it's not your relative why are you sticking your nose in?" The answer was perfectly clear in the op it made me so mad there's no need. If you have nothing useful to say just keep your mouth shut.

Poor Ms Sealion. The ones I've come across in social settings seem perfectly civilised to me so I really don't understand your uneducated disparaging comments. Would you care to enlighten us?
(See what I did there?)

The sealioning thing is a bit like my 7yo who has recently developed a rather irritating habit of asking "What does that mean?" causing me to launch into a literal explanation, because he does have some communication difficulties and quite frequently doesn't know what stuff means, only for him to laugh and repeat "What does that mean?" because, as it turns out, he just likes setting me off on an explanation train

(It is still summer holidays where I am. Roll on school!)