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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

How many MN 'personas' have you ever had?

229 replies

Norty · 03/05/2005 22:28

There's a another thread talking about how easily people can be deceptive on chat rooms, however most people seem to be saying "oh, but I think I'd spot someone fake", or "but I haven't the time/energy for multiple posts"

It got me wondering, "How many MN personas have people ever had".In other words, how many different MN nicknames have you EVER used?

My personal score is probably well towards 20 - over 5 years... some most regularly, some occasionally, and a few only once....

OP posts:
Caligula · 03/05/2005 22:47

Joanne23 if that confession is real, it's glorious. I've just pmsl at it. It will go down with the grapes and tablecloths as one of mumsnet classic threads!

Original poster
Norty · 03/05/2005 22:48

No - I'm not Joanne23 - I'm someone different

This is another one of those controversial things isn't it? It doesn't actually say (as part of the much revered (sp?) Mumsnet Philosophy that 'Thou SHalt not change thy MN name..'.

Sometimes I see this whole board as a bit of an example of a big 'social experiment' in which people can turn up and test emotions. (A bit like Derren Brown's 'Mind Control')
People like Joanne23 etc having a bit of fun and trying to ellicit a response.

What DOES amaze me is how, on the whole, most people accept everything posted at face value.

Aside from the obviously unethical legal aspects, the whole Judge Flounce thing was fascinating as an example of human behaviour.

Anyway, I can't say I've done anything NEARLY as 'Norty' as Joanne23, although I have answered my own threads before to get things going briefly....

OP posts:
Caligula · 03/05/2005 22:49

I changed my name. Felt I'd revealed too much. But then I went and revealed exactly the same things in my new name, and told people what my old name had been, so figured it's a waste of time. Won't bother again!

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 22:50

I am not sure how I feel about this whole name-changing thing

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 22:51

I am desperate to know who joanne / ithinkitwasme actually is

but then that'll just be another nomdeplume won't it

maybe that's it, maybe they're / he's / she's (oo getting confused) nomdeplume

rickman · 03/05/2005 22:53

Message withdrawn

knowitall · 03/05/2005 22:55

I was vaGinaFord for that thread

knowitall · 03/05/2005 22:55

I was vaGinaFord for that thread

marthamoo · 03/05/2005 22:56

Joanne/ithinkitwasme, do you not think it's a little...erm...weird to throw a football at a cat, feel guilty, pretend to be a fictitious person whose cat has had a football thrown at it, then pretend to be the football thrower, when you actually were the football thrower, then proceed to have a row with yourself, to the point of pretending to go round to the fictitious neighbour's (who was actually you) house to confront her?

Have you ever seen The Three Faces of Eve?

Norty - do you do "fun" threads or shit-stirring threads? And do you have a 'proper' MN name?

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 22:57

well said Moo I think I followed that

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 22:57

I totally missed that thread, but I love the name knowitall

knowitall · 03/05/2005 23:00

it was over the weekend of the summer party last year

hunkermunker · 03/05/2005 23:00

Moo, I pretended to be the bloody football - how do you think I feel?!

And Twiglett, young lady, what's with the at people who change their names? Hmm?

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 23:01

I don't change my name Sneaky (well not unless its to muck around with people's heads)

piffle · 03/05/2005 23:01

I've just reread that entire thread since the last time I posted on it
Special top posting awards to QE and FF
Others too, I literally just broke the seal reading that
And I have no washing machine

Twiglett · 03/05/2005 23:02

Can I just say I loved 'CatAttack' - very funny

Caligula · 03/05/2005 23:02

Well now I'm completely confused!

Was somebody the sunflower who witnessed the football being thrown at the cat?

Caligula · 03/05/2005 23:03

Ooh yes, so CatAttack was you, Moo.

It all adds up!

Original poster
Norty · 03/05/2005 23:05

Mostly fun threads, as I recall. I don't post as much as I used to, and don't think it's a particularly good use of time these days.
Also, it's easy to see how easily some people can get 'hurt' - I just don't think some people on here are:

  • emotionally stable enough;
  • web- savvy enough
  • or have the appropriate intellectual mind-set to appreciate the sort of humour that goes on in the 'persona-changing' threads... (By way of an analogy, have you ever heard the old Radio 4 'Mornington cresent' quiz played with someone who just doesn't 'get it'??

I'm really not trying to shit stir actually - more a case of expressing incredulity at the general level of naivity (if there is such a word).
My suspicion is that a lot of what one reads on here is not quite as it appears - and I think (sadly) people need to be more aware of that...

OP posts:
Original poster
Norty · 03/05/2005 23:06

P.S. Yes - I DO have 2 very regular, respectable personas.....!

OP posts:
NortyNorty · 03/05/2005 23:07

is this one of them?

Caligula · 03/05/2005 23:08

Who on here is respectable?

Janh · 03/05/2005 23:11

Oh I am, miss.

marthamoo · 03/05/2005 23:12

I have to say I agree, Norty. I think a public access forum can be a bad place to be if you are vulnerable/sensitive. It's happened so many times on here when a person has not got the response they expected and has taken it very badly. You have to be confident enough to get a bad response and be able to say "to hell with it." Sadly, the people who gravitate towards MN in their 'hour of need' are the most vulnerable to unsympathetic posters and trolls. I don't think there's an answer to that conundrum.

sunchowder · 03/05/2005 23:12

I am always myself and I can't BELIEVE Joanne23 and Ithinkitwas me were the SAME person!!! Do Titania and FF know???