Mumsnet is becoming a politics whore?

[Swedes2Turnips0]

Surely we should be observing and commenting on the forthcoming election as and when we want to? And criticising and/or applauding government policy as and when we see fit? And definitely not performing like seals for Newsnight or for anyone else.

I can't even be bothered to look up the spelling of vaccuum -- it would be quite reassuring for someone to refer me to pedants' corner.

AIBU?

Swedes. I was`rather hoping you would come along actually. Would have been more interesting. Still will be.

Are you cross?

Sorry Swedes, but its not like any of the posters are voting early and often for any kind of agenda...(secret cabal of MNetters plot to take over political agenda of UK) its just people's opinions.

Hassled - at dementia. I know the feeling. I don't think Mumsnetters are uninterested. I see ABetaDad got a warm welcome for his opinion. And he's one of the good guys. Well the good guy actually.

I am anonymous here. We all are. Mnetters can say what they want - I don't see it as any reflection on me.

media whoring...an honourable profession, as old as time itself

Ronald, I love your question to DC.

and mn is a brand,so media whoring no different from brand whoring

I'm not sure I agree there's no common ethos. Bit like saying there's no society. We agree we don't start threads about threads, that troll hunting is bad, that fruitshoots are an in-joke. OK, none of it political, but many voices saying the same thing can influence others.

I havne't read the Newsnight thread though...

no we dont all agree those things hence all the aggro.mn is a really intersting snapshot into other's opinions/experiences but holds no collective influence as we all are individuals

not a group of activists who meet and converse. a lively group of people with pc

Wilfsel - I'm not cross with you. Or any other individual actually. Just upset that Mumsnet as a community is going to be blown apart by a few media blokes who want to concentrate on what separates us, instead of what unites us.

I feel Mumsnet is being torn apart by politicians who merely want our vote.

I feel that come June, Mumsnet will be left with smudged mascara and broken stillettos and will be looking a bit slutty.

Ah yes, I've just glanced at the beginning of it. Media whoring indeed.

thanks Ronshar...just posted a v boring one now....

Apologies for butting in but saw new at ten with Justine, but who was the mumsnetter with the short hair?

Surely not torn apart!? How would that happen? I personally don't really like MN being all over the papers, our words commodified for politicians and journos. It reminds me a lot of when the Harry Potter books got merchandised to hell and what had been a private creative space for DS1's imagination got hammered into plastic tat on the shelves at Tesco.

But I realise that is just a quirk of mine. There does genuinely seem to be a big appetite among MNers for this political engagement.

You only have to look at the politics topic to see that Mumsnet as a community isn't grabbed by politics as a raw science. Most threads in that topic are met with total apathy.

mn isnt a private space it is open forum accessible to all. i imagine mnhq must be basking in the attention. numerous media hits, big hitters coming to talk on line. i think it is interesting opportunity to put a question to politicians. mn should consolidate upon its huge media presence.more revenue, potential new posters, recognition of mn as an forum for individuals to have lively discussion

politics is a lived experience,not necessarily a purist pursuit

politics pragmatically = cost of food, mortgage rates,provision of school place,all stuff folk on mn discuss

But Politics with a capital P is what is done in London and its satellites. In the papers, websites, blogs, universities. It generates excitement in those for whom that is their milieu and community and value system.

politics (the issues that affect people's lives) is done everywhere. The opinion formers really do need to get this a bit more, now more than ever. Hence MN in the debate being a good thing.

Yeah. Wot sm said. . More concisely.

Doesn't the census show MN to be Londony, wilf?

I really don't think that engaging with the few-score active posters on the livechats will do much to invigorate politicians' connection with ordinary voters. But clearly there is an appetite here to participate in these things and I don't understand why that would be very harmful to MN. I mistrusted it, but only cos I hate change. MN is changing for sure, but that is inevitable I think.

Deadworm - I don't see a big appetite, quite the reverse actually.

people discuss how politics impact on life

nhs waiting list
over subscribed schools
recession
posts are ready and waiting for David Cameron a politician talking about politics

maybe you are reading wrong threads?

There does seem to be an appetite. Perhaps you are right that it is not big. MN is more fractured now, much more. So the politicos are one of many differently motivated poster-groups and don't carry the whole board with them. Is that a problem? They do their thing, the book clubs to their own thing, etc.

So long as it continues to be possible for the uninterested to avoid the political engagement, then all is well. It is important that political and campaigning initiatives on MN are well signalled, so that we can choose not to be co-opted into something from which we want to remain separate. That isn't hard to achieve.

Personally I find the thought of six months of this absolutely awful Lenin. But MN is big enough to rattle around in without bumping into the election. I really meant to stay off the Newsnight threead but I tripped and my fingers banged the keyboard. Five times! What are the odds?!