Laugh reaction

[Itsjustsodepressing]

I know when MN introduced the reaction button which included the Laugh emoji a lot of posters weren't happy about it. And there have been various comments by posters about its misuse.

It is just being used so commonly now to mock and deride serious comments that are in no way funny. That can no way be interpreted as light hearted.

It would appear to be being used to try and drive posters off threads. And the impression I get is that it's actually often certain posters ganging up together to try and silence people who don't agree with them.

I think MN having guidelines for posters to stick to civilised responses to other posters is being undermined because they have given those who are minded to be unpleasant to other posters the perfect tool to be nasty to them without having to verbalise anything and risk getting their post removed.

I'm failing to see any benefit in providing the laugh emoji reaction when it's principal use now is to upset and drive away genuine posters.

I don't think it was a good idea in the first place and I would like to see MN remove this reaction option.

Sounds to me
like you posted a comment
someone laughed at it
you took offence and started this thread
in a huff

Well not in so many words

maybe just ease off mumsnetting

@Thelasttea
And now you are inferring I'm a liar.

You are very good at the subtle insults I'll give you that.

Come again?

good grief

there’s a thin skinned

and then there’s….

I’ll leave you to stew

@Thelasttea
Forgive but I didn't realise it was your job to police how much time people could spend looking at MN

You and your hyperbole 😂

The OP already has. Funnily enough, the person who used it did so in precisely the way that the OP is (rightly) complaining about - and then didn’t have the decency to explain why she chose to hide her laughter/mockery.

I agree with you OP, it’s used inappropriately and in those cases it’s a form of bullying. MN has received many complaints about it on previous threads and I presume from their earlier post that they are having to delete them. I don’t think they’ll do anything about them though - so it’s up to the poster on the receiving end to report them. Not nice when you’re posting on a sensitive topic or you’re upset.

It should be made public or gotten rid of altogether

a light heated joke, i can understand your points but anyone can use any of the emojis and for any purpose

And therein lies the problem

I really like having the laugh emoji when used properly, responding to somebody who has obviously and deliberately made a joke or amusing comment and letting them know that you appreciated their wit.

However, I agree with OP that it has become a bit of a 'this is why we can't have nice things' situation, with bullies using it to deliberately belittle other posters - and clearly laughter AT them rather than WITH them.

I had it on a recent thread, where a very 'assertive' OP responded to my every (clearly not joking) response with a laugh emoji - presumably because she wasn't able to use her words and discuss things like an adult would, and that was her way of insulting and hoping to upset me.

No skin off my nose if showering me (and probably lots of other posters whose opinions didn't gel with hers) with silly childish gestures throughout made her feel good; it's just really pathetic - I'm happy to wash my hands of her.

Tbh, they probably clicked then moved on and never thought about it again. If you let it get to you then you are giving some random more head space than they've any right to have.

I know it's easier said than done but if you can, roll your eyes and forget about them.

That's not the point, though.

You see this is one of the most upsetting things about it to me: that some posters spread a bit of random nastiness to total strangers for no reason and then just get on with their lives.

Just why? If it means nothing to them what is the point?

It's just adds to the drip, drip, drip of unpleasantness that a lot of us see and experience everyday in our lives.

The nasty people's worst punishment comes with living with the person they've chosen to be.

How could you ever be truly happy when your emotions are consumed with hatred and bitterness?

At least the rest of us can experience an unpleasant moment and then move on; for those who are this way, they can't or won't ever escape it.

We are talking about someone using the laugh emoji to make the point they think a poster’s post is daft?

and not… murder?

But no one else can see the reactions can they? I just get an email that I ignore.

No, it’s being used by some posters to mock someone who’s already having a really rough time of it. No need for it. At least they could be called out for their dickish response in the days before the laughter emoji.

I thought the op was about laughing emojis to posters comments?
i have just read and indeed the op refers to her own post to an op getting one

And you can even turn that off

I agre it can be quite jarring to receive the laughing emoji on something painful.
People can be quite nasty on here. I try not to take it personally though and just pity them. They are the schoolyard bullies who haven’t grown up.

You think that everybody is either a generally kind, fair, considerate person or a murderer - with nobody whatsoever in between?

No

I think your post was utterly OTT as seems to equate a private laughing emoji response to a post they deem ridiculous …. As akin to an intrinsic and profound and very grave moral failing

I know. But you can't let it get to you.

I am no angel. I know I have been a cow from time to time on here and have, rightly, been told to wind my fucking neck in.

All I can say is it's not worth your time getting upset with strangers over this shit. They pressed a laugh emoji. Leave them to it. Don't let it affect your day.