to not appriciate being called a troll/journalist/student simply because I disgree with the majority?

[whatkatydidathome]

Okay so I know that trolls exist; and am happy to accpet that journalists and students use these forums; but it seems unreasonable (and a cop out) to accuse someone of being a troll/journalist/student simply because they hold minority views/opinions. It also could be viewed as unfriendly and cliquey to call someone a troll/journalist/student just because you do not like their views. It is tantamount to saying that you are not even prepared to listen to them. No one has to read any partiicular thread

troll

oh whatkatydid, you're telling me.
there are loads of lovely mumsnetters on here, but there are a few that seem to live in a bubble where every unusual or 'scandalous' scenario must be made up.
and god forbid if you start a thread on a popular topic. its not as some of us dont want to go on old threads that may not have relevant opinions anymore and want a fresh perpective on a new topic.
or judging. i hate that bloody word on here. how are you supposed to have an opinion on anything if you dont bloody judge!!!

journo

what is the view that you hold that brought such disapprobation?

I think it's the idea that teenagers can't aspire to anything more than prostitution because they are greedy?

Is it because of the Escort thread?
It might be partly because it's the only thread you've ever posted on and it's quite a contentious topic.

god not another haterz thread.

Ha Ha I had to reply to this. Normally I like to lurk in the background and have only posted a handful of times but I'm a Journalism student so that must mean there is no hope for me. Ah well....

It was a thread about the morality of choosing to work in the sex industry. I do not what to reawaken that thread though as it was well discussed. But I am newish here and was surprised by the fact that my minority opinion (shared by I'd guess about 5% of the people posting) resulted in accusations of being a troll/journalist or student.

I actually found it mildly threatening to be effectively told that I would not be accepted as a "proper member" if I insisted on arguing against the majority in this way.

Someone did report the thread (or said that they did anyway) and it was not removed so I'm assuming that it was deemed "okay". I can see why forums like this one need some moderation but if the moderators are happy with a topic then it seems unreasonable for anyone to try to bully someone off the group by calling them a troll/journalist/student.

I am pretty thick skinned so will stay around but can now, after just one thread, see why there are reports out there about mumsnet not always being the friendly and supportive place that it claims to be . Obviously most of the replies (both agreeing and disagreeing) were fine. It was the accusations of trollship that I'm comenting on here.

oh please!

Mildy threatening?

Fucking trolls!

Yes know what you mean. Didn't see the thread but seen it happen many times. Also accusations that if only two people on the thread agree they must be the same person but name changing (very quickly I suppose!)

I was interested in people's opinions which is why I posted. Was also interested in having a discussion about it. I don't think that my original post did suggest that I knew nothing about the topic - I had looked into it. It was the opinions of others that I was interested in. Also I find that debating a topic, and arguing for your views, can help you clarify (or even change) your ideas on it.

I guess that we all talk/post for different reasons. Sometimes to try and work out/clarify/question an exisiting and maybe not well formed opinion and other times to affirm an opinion and re-enforce our own position.

I tend to talk/post for the former reason so my ideas may well change through out a discussion - isn't that part of the point of discussing?

I am uncomfortable with the idea that changing an opinion during a discussion is somehow bad - isn't that partly why we discuss - in order to pursuade or be pursuaded?

Stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudent

Why student?

journalist

Oh stop moaning.

I only have one leg, three eyes and havent slept properly for 26 years so you have no reason to come on here feeling sorry for yourself.

Your specific thread (I lurked) was odd and not always consistent - the fact that people disagreed with your opinion has nothing to do with the reason why trolling was suspected.

Let me rephrase - often the majority of posters would disagree with an OP, but it doesn't mean the OP is a suspected windup.

So, in your case, not only first, but also really odd post combined with inconsistencies, plus the required change in posting style / personality half-way through... well, it does make you wonder.

What question? If you mean am I a troll, student or journalist then you know, from the last thread, that I am none of these. I am a SAHM with 3 youngish children; two at school and one home with me.

I'm also not feeling sorry for myself - just interested in the way in which people seem to use crys of "troll" etc as a weapon when arguing and wonderign whether it is generally acceptable to do so here or not.

Mumsnet is often talked about in the media now - I'm interested in what it is like, what the "virtual atmosphere" is like - so here I am

What's with the student thing though, I've never seen anyone accused of being a student? Could it be that I need to be on here even more??

MisSal - I can see what ou mean thinking about the thread - what happened though was that I originally posted unsure, in my mind, how I felt about the whole thing and, as I was driven to think about it more whilst posting about it, I realsied exactly how I did feel and this was different to how I thought that I originally felt IYSWIM. So yes I probably did change my views mid thread but, as I said earlier, isn't it okay to change your mind because you have thought about something more?

I guess that the fact that actually changing your mind during a thread is classed as strange enough to mean that you must not be genuine says it all really... [slightly sad, wry acceptance face]

Why are students so contentious now?

I've only seen one lately and he was asking lovely, very pertinent questions about the MN election for his thesis.