Pitfalls & benefits of anonymity?!

Varian, the media analysing voters' level of education is not offensive but GN poster stating any poster who voted for brexit only has one brain cell is personal insult.

So was the 'one brain cell' ever actually said or are we is this just fake news?

I think it was GracesgranMK2, but I can't remember who said it, or to whom it was said.

I agree with that newnanny - did anyone ever say such a thing?

I think I am much the same in real life as on GN. I don't share much personal information because it isn't in my nature to do so. I do say when I dislike something and I am a bit of a stickler about language and meaning (sorry it's just the way I am) That said if somebody makes a mistake and admits they are wrong I would be one of the first to accept this. What I don't like are people who say really unpleasant things and then plead how awful everyone else is to them and how terrible things are for them. I can get quite heated about things I really care about.

As I said - different cultures. I seem to find sympathy comes quite easily for people who are in stressful situations. I don't find that difficult, particularly if they share that with me because I am causing them additional stress without realising it and even more so if it was because they were being personally attacked - nothing to do with the thread. Perhaps someone trying to slide some denigrating remark into the conversation under cover of something that again has nothing to do with the thread - or wasn't that what you were referring to trisher?

I just don't think people are being intentionally unpleasant on here. It is a division of worlds, a division of culture. One persons bad manners is another's discussion believed to be freely entered into by both parties. On the other side there seems to be a culture of agree with me or I will call you names and denigrate you in any way I can because my culture does not allow you to hold that opinion or certainly not to voice it. We are a very divided country - but that is nothing new.

I believe we are more divided that at any time in living memory. The leaders of the two biggest political parties are both fearful of a small number of media owners who have influenced many voters and are they unwilling to stand up to them.

I do also feel that different bits of society, who used to remain separate - just because they lived apart - have a different view on life and what is and what isn't 'rude or forthright" and that has been true of this country for ever varian, but now we are almost like we are looking out from separate worlds not just separate villages in the same country.

One small bit of advice I could give any poster wishing to quote some other poster's recent "rude" retort - and it would apply equally to repeating something read in the media - is to make sure that you put " " quotes around it. This is not just because it is polite to attribute it to the original author, but also because if that post is deleted as inappropriate, you will then find yourself held responsible for the abuse as though it is your own invention.

Really?

Yes.

You do surprise me. Don't you usually have 'x said' or 'on post y you said' that would identify it as a quote anyway? I am stunned someone could manage to quote someone else in a way that could be read as if they were saying it themselves when that was not what they meant. It must be true if you say so though.

Jalima since I found out about the FB link and the press lifting threads I have been more careful of what I say,and thats a shame as being able to discuss and have feedback on things from strangers is in my opinion very helpful.

Good point well made about the " " Elegran

I still find it difficult to take in that GNHQ would not be able to read that is was a quote - even without the quotes but there you go.

Good advice about the quotation marks Elegran.

Last year a section of my comments were printed on the Daily Mail on line site, which I only found out about by chance . I left for some while ,GNHQ did sort of apologise, but say they don't have much control as this is a public forum. So I wouldn't worry too much about quote marks as long as you aren't saying anything that could be deemed to be 'liableous' (not sure if correctly spelt)

Probably should have said' lifted' not printed

I've never come across that about quoting someone, but I will uses quotes from now on to be on the safe side.

A couple of times since I joined GN I have taken a break from the site because I realise it's having a negative effect on me. Most of the time it's when I've spent too much time on the politics threads and I'm sick to death of tabloid tripe being spouted as fact by a small number of posters. Now that's quite a contentious thing to say on this thread, but these posters do not engage in discussion even when you are able to provide them with the correct facts. It's like going around in circles and that's when it's time for a break.

The DM - and any other paper that decided to use the posts is okay I think, partly because the internet still doesn't have any real legal boundaries. On some forums the Ts & Cs say that you own the posts you publish but on GN I believe they do. If it was being published in a paper instead of on the internet I suppose someone would have the copyright, although I think they can still quote from that. It is odd, that's for certain. If they do bring in the laws of publishing then any defamatory statement made could/would be libelous I suppose.

I so agree with you WilmaKnickersFit, thank you for posting, Part of me wants to participate ( I don't go on any other sites) but part of me finds it quite psychologically damaging & not at all sure it does us any good..... hence my reason for starting this thread , we humans are quite a complex entity !

I am sorry for posters who find the threads damaging. I suppose I am quite strong in that respect having a grandfather who thought arguing about politics was a bit of a sport and who questioned most things. It seems to have been passed down in the family. I might get angry and annoyed about things but I don't take them personally. It is difficult sometimes to put yourself in others shoes. I do think I probably post more kindly things on threads where people are asking for support and advice and I do try to offer support and share any knowledge I might have.
Does this mean I have a split personality? Oh best not go there!

Ahh thanks for posting Trisher,I'm sure you are lovely,split personality or not? I also grew up in a household having arguments/ discussion on just about everything, but I guess knowing that the people you are arguing with care about you no matter what makes a big difference. On here one may put up what they think is a reasonable comment & the delivery rather than the actual opinion can be jumped on & worst still I found it so easy to go down that route of criticism myself & have pulled myself up sharp now that I realised.

I am just as plain spoken online as I am in real life! I've never thought to alter the way I am. If I comment on here, I am never rude of bullying, what's the point of being nasty for the sake of it? I like to comment in a helpful manner. My friend on the other hand, is really shy, but is a real loud-mouth online, and will instigate arguments with people, make rude comments and generally be the complete opposite to the way she usually is. She says it's the way she wants to be, but does not have the courage in real life.

Piggypoo, I think it's lovely that you can do that, I can understand where your friend is coming from, possibly she wasn't able to speak her mind as a child & being shy is a great inhibitor. No one really knows her as a person on line, so she feels safe to speak her mind to strangers without fear of judgement and / or of offending anyone she knows or cares about .