to think that the average debating ability of Mumsnetters has dropped considerably over the past year?

[colditz]

I was browsing through some old threads earlier, and the general standard of debate has dropped. People here used to be able to follow a thread and give a pertinent response, backed up with careful research. Lately the response is likely to be completely unrelated to the original point, and passive-aggressive to boot.

my contrary side means if someone starts a good thread rating i will inevitably want to pile in and shout bag of shite

Thanks, Lenin. But why?

it was more common a couple of years ago, i think, db. in the days pre-AIBU when all round here was green trees and fields.

Do you have a contrary side, scottishmummy? I've never noticed...

I am surprised that nobody has suggested the recession as a reason why mn has got dourer over the last year?

I find that during periods of high stress, I only post on things that really get my goat, and contribute nothing flippant. There are days when I scan active convos and get pissed off by people complaining about their lives that seem easy to me in comparison to mine...fortunately I (usually) remember that this is just a sign that I am more than usually stressed out.

So if loads of people are more stressed out than usual, maybe that's why there's less debating and more "fuck off"ing?

or maybe there were just more good posts in them thair days.

i got here too late for the green trees and fields. was all royalty when i got here.

ZephirineDrouhin why would you notice my individual posts?i havent noticed yours.mn is huge tis the way of things

Hesiod, Works & Days, ll.174-180, Aitch. MN is so fifth-generation now.

Keep your hair on, sm. I have just changed my name more often than you. And I'm possibly a little less, er, confrontational.

scottishmummy - you are too modest.

pipe down.mind your bp there hen

don't you DARE come and WANK all over colditz's nice thread, penth. (by which i mean i've fed that into google and it's got no idea what you're talking about. )

I think it's normal to notice who posts scottishmummy. I do, and somewhere in my brain I put them together and know who's opinions i like and who I don't. Most fall somewhere in between.

bp?

fair enough,if that works for you

Specifically, SM, you have a very recognisable posting style:

a) no capitals, a la ee cummings
b)
c) lists of your observations
d) certain key subjects which catch your attention
e) "no likee"

You are v. noticeable on threads. You may not care about that, but it's true.

and...

Aitch. Narratives of decline, what what.

Actually I am quite a lot like scottishmummy owing to v v poor memory. It's a long time before a poster has any clear identity in my mind, and if their name is remotely similar to anyone else's I'm lost. I think I thought SM was AMumInScotland for a while.

aaaaand... you're rude.

yes blood pressure,dont get het up about some burd wi pc