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Original poster

Has Mumsnet dumbed down over the past couple of years IYO? Or, if you're new, what's your impression?

243 replies

WideWebWitch · 14/10/2006 19:31

Well? Just wondering what people think about this. Even if you're new, what's your view? (I don't want to be accused of oldster cliqueiness, I'm interested to hear what new people think too)

OP posts:
motherinferior · 15/10/2006 17:35

I agree about the judgemental aspect but last time I posted to that effect I was Severely Told Off.

LemonTart · 15/10/2006 17:45

Zippi has an interesting point about the "nastiness" often coming from older posters/well known posters. Are they themselves both the problem and ironically the same ones feeling that there is a problem? dunno personally but interesting idea.

I hate text speak too. It reads so badly and being a judgemental cynical soul, it always sounds like a 14 yr old boy trolling

Mercy · 15/10/2006 18:00

MI, I remember that well, particularly as I don't think I've ever seen you post anything in pissed off mode (well not due to MN anyway).

I said earlier on that there does seem to be a bit of 'attitude' around lately. I'll even go as far to say a bit of intellectual bullying/showing off, ott PC views combined with a bit of cliqueyness.

And that applies to old and new members alike imo. Lone voices/dissenters seem an unsual feature of MN these days.

(I think I've managed to criticise everyone on MN with the above!)

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 18:10

The only thing I find offensive on m/net is when someone disagrees with an op and a gang tell the disagreer not to post on the thread.

Basically the same thing that www finds offensive.

There is no such thing as "my" thread.

lemonysnickett · 15/10/2006 19:16

I have found it very varied and useful..however..when you post a messagethat seems to require a little more political knowledge for example, i have found people have ignored these messages and responded to less challenging ones...eg on a thread about Jack Straw..my message was ignored ..admittedly..it di go on a little about the history of some politacal moves ...but still!

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 19:20

No, but Cam, you were very offensive on one thread (Pages - my mother) and that is why you were told to disappear. You were unsupportive, abrasive and confrontational. In theory, I do agree with you though.

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 19:30

How appallingly rude of you, Dior.

I completely disagree that I was unsupportive, abrasive and confrontational.

I stand by my right to disagree with any post and not be told to "disappear" as you so charmingly put it.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 19:33

Sorry, but I thought you were incredibly rude to the person who posted about the self-help book. Obviously you didn't, but I wasn't the only one who thought so. I only posted the comment on this thread because I thought you were trying to make a point. If you weren't, I apologise. If you were, I stand by what I said. Sorry, but I (and others) thought you were unsupportive.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 19:34

And that is my opinion. You are, of course entitled to think me rude too.

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 19:35

Oh are you still talking?

Sorry I've stopped listening.

Quadrofiendia · 15/10/2006 19:35

I get fed up with all the 'lets congratulate eachother on how educated, witty and charming we are' that goes on. Its the constant backslapping of others which i think can mke MN very difficult for newbies. That said i agree with Jools in that manners are sometimes in short supply, often uneccesarily so and this I would say does contribute to the 'dumbing down'.
In all though i hate the 'oh it used to be so middle class on here darling' attitudes and think MN is better off with more variety, itmakes for better insight and debate.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 19:37

No, you're not rude at all...

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 20:10

Proves www's point

Now leave me alone and stop bullying me

foxinsocks · 15/10/2006 20:14

oy, you squabblers (is that a word?)

I don't remember the self help book - I do remember the mother thread. Didn't think CAM's first post was that bad (was her opinion after all) - it just all snowballed after her post.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 20:16

For Goodness' sake - 'bullying'. You called me rude, I called you rude. End of story. 'You still talking, I'm not listening' is rude.

I seem to recall that you told Pages to 'get a life' when she was distraught over her mother. That seems like bullying behaviour to me.

Listen. I think we are never going to see eye to eye. I tried to be polite/fair to you on Pages' thread because I remembered you had been on MN for quite a while and that I had never been offended by any of your posts before. You were abrasive. I take objection to being told I am a bully. Rude, maybe but not a bully.

I think we just rub each other up the wrong way and I am sorry for that as I hate having spats on here. Can we just agree to ignore each other?

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 20:17

And, if I prove WWW's point, I must have dumbed the site down 4 years ago, not recently. However, dumb is not a word I would use about myself thanks.

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 20:18

I've never told anyone, ever, to "get a life"

Not my style.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 20:23

'Just hope you all remember all this when your daughters don't want to know you in future years. Grow up.'

'Some of your children may not forgive you in the future for being prevented from having a relationship with their grandparents.'

Both by Cam. First was abrasive and unsupportive, second was just horrible when Pages was tormented by her relationship with her mother. She had already said IIRC that she wasn't intending to stop her mother seeing her dd.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 20:26

Anyway, I don't like this situation, despite what you may think of me. We could, I suspect, exchange unpleasantries all night, but it is just uncomfortable for all MN users. Let's just drop it can we? We can go our merry ways and ignore each other. I regret riling you tonight, purely based on one thread. As I said, I had no problem with any of your previous postings. I just felt sorry for Pages as I was in a similar situation at the time.

foxinsocks · 15/10/2006 20:28

oh dior

from what I remember, that thread was very odd because there was another (more aggressive) poster on there (one who I hadn't seen before) and it all got a bit hyped up

anyway, I shouldn't stick my wick in here really. I'll let you two get on with it.

DastardlyDevilishDior · 15/10/2006 20:31

Yes Fox, it was hard for Pages to read. Luckily, she got a lot of support. I just get cross on other people's behalf. I always have been a little too quick to mouth off before thinking, despite meaning well.

tigermoth · 15/10/2006 20:38

Croppy, Aloha and Bells used to post some pretty cerebral stuff - none of them post now, which is sad.

The site has got more varied, but there's still stuff that gives my brain a workout.

If I am pushed for time, I just do a few searches using other people's names - people who IMO post on the threads that are interesting and thought provoking.

moaningpaper · 15/10/2006 20:39

I think it probably HAS dumbed down but I think that Quadrofiendia is right - I expect that the demographic is a lot wider now than it was 2 years ago which is a good thing

Just seen "Can u put a condom on sexy" which I think proves the point

PhantomCAM · 15/10/2006 20:40

Well Dior, I think its bizarre and rude of you to bring up a thread from the past to attack me with on this thread.

Particularly bizarre considering the following:

My MIL (who I love) has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been given a couple of months to live. It's all a bit of a shock as she only developed symptoms a short time ago. My dh (her son) is distraught and I am supporting him the best I can.

Now do shut up there's a good girl.

cod · 15/10/2006 20:42

Message withdrawn