Do you think there's room on here for diametrically opposing opinions?

[Twiglett]

When I first joined (oh yes indeedy, those halcyon days) there seemed to be a wider spread of opinions. And a greater respect for others.

Now it feels sometimes that there is an area of thinking that is deemed ok (in terms of parenting or social or political view), and it gets more and more narrowly defined as posters reinforce each other's views. Then there are extreme personalities who are seen as trolls for disagreeing with this established 'range of normality'. And possibly there are a lot of voices who just don't bother to comment because of the strength of the agreeing posters.

There have been times when someone will post a dissenting opinion and all of a sudden a huge group emerges from gawd-knows where seemingly relieved that their own sense of 'normality' is being raised.

I wonder whether respect for others is diminishing. I am certainly probably guilty of this, of posting an opposing position because the status quo seems to have swung too far away from my sense of 'normality' and 'correctness'. I'm certain I had more respect in the early days.

Of course it might just be me, I might be making no sense, or I may just be in a twonkish mood .. but anyhoo .. shall I post this?

Agree with OP (but then I would)

Although its always denied (to which I always have an inward 'pah!'), it very much depends on who is posting what as to what the response is.

Blimey I just had a nose on the Nanny long haul flight thread - I noticed it as a subject yesterday but didn't go in as I know nothing about Nanny's or long haul flights. Looks like a fair few women got their knickers in a twist about this - why I cannot imagine. Sorry that you were hauled over the coals Gess.

UQD - yes American imperialism - still no one has required me to speak to their hand on here yet!

that's obvious!

what I mean is, like Twig said, she got treated with kid gloves by most posters because of who she was, I think the thread would have kicked of grand style if it had been a lesser known/less respected/me poster.

wheres the nanny thread???

www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2409&threadid=394402#8033421

I hate that thread with a vengance now.

can't say i blame you - can understand why

I think as well (as was stated on the infamous nanny thread last night) that its the hammer to crack a nut approach, the piling in and fighting 'scrap scrap' which is awful at times. We seem to loose the run of ourselves and its not nice to watch.

I think the OP last night got the idea after 10 or so posts but it just went on and on and on..........car crash chat forum.

I just wish that somebody would do a search for OPs previous posts before starting to call the "its a wind-up trump card" as insult.

Yes it's a good idea to not post unless you have something to add to what's already been said, or you are incredibly witty and entertaining. Car crash threads are just tasteless. Skimmed the long haul one just now. Really unpleasant. 'Back on the girls playground' stuff.

MN these days just seems a challenge, to find something that is worthwhile - have to step amongst the rubbish to find good stuff.

Oh I wasn't worried bigmouth I was kind of posting wondering how it had come to that iykwim. In the end I wandered off to watch "return of the jedi" (love my epics ) I do hope the OP doesn't disappear completely though as I think the whole thread was rather unfortunate.

Still we have managed to be civilised on here so far.

arrr read the thread, know what you mean

Star Wars Therapy excellant idea

So far...... It's interesting reading everyone's persepective.

yes - and some rather apt advice on controlling anger

I'm a relative newbie, after lurking for ages. What upsets me is that so many threads open promisingly, and then herds of smug boasters pile in. Someone asks for help/expresses concern about something, and then in comes somebody saying "Oh, poor you. MY dd never had that problem." "How terrible for you, my in-laws are WONDERFUL." "A C-section - not for me, just three puffs and it flew out".

I've just got quite cross on a thread about, of all things, reception reading. Someone asked about reading ability at the start of school, and you should have seen the posts. Talk about a licence to brag. When I said as much, I thought I might open the front door and find a lynch mob there.

Er, wait, the doorbell is ringing...

That Fircone, is a very good reflection on Real Life I think. Some people get so competitive about their childrens abilities, and so boastful. It is as insensitive here as in real life. Maybe it is parental pride just going a little OTT.

There are certainly topics I completely avoid now. It's not really because there's no room for opposing opinions but because they are dominated by posters who say the same thing over and over again without ever listening, and are so ubiquitous that they can't be avoided. It's just too boring to bother, and that's a shame really.

omg, all you oldies who say it's got harder to disagree - don't you remember those threads about vaccination and bottlefeeding in the good old days? and "junk" food?

I think there have been several really good and interesting debates on here in the last 6 months, and at times I have changed my mind slightly. maybe even a lot, I can't decide. I do also sometimes post things just because I want to put the other side, not because I agree with it, but that's something I've always done.

so twig: yabu.

Come to the faith schools thread, they're always grrrrrrreat for kicking off!

UQ, there was one yesterday, it did not kick off, it was very civil!

I think I must be missing something.

I always think posters as a rule are incredibly kind and giving to people asking for advice, it constantly cheers me.

I quite like the bracing nature of MN and I don't really recognize the pack mentality, or not experienced it anyway.

I disagreed with one OP once, and she got a bit huffy, but I wasn't meaning to, and didn't, attack her personally. But I did think her response was a bit insecure - alot of this is insecurity. Alot of parenting seems awfully insecure at the moment actually, as though everyone needs to be an expert all the time.

There we go then, isn't just MN is Parenting In General.

I bow alot to avoid giving offence.

I havent seen any example of that myself here Kerry, but I know what you mean, it is a typical bitchy female thing to do. I remember that mentality well from, well, late "teenagehood", only the recipient knew exactly how insulting it was. Low punch.

I have seen you get some stick, especially on a GT thread recently (did not stick up for you, came late to the thread, you defended yourself brilliantly)