Are you too scared to post what you really think?

Nope. They annoy me too much.

By they, I mean spam.

Mostly I think people on here are reasonable . I often disagree with certain ones but I don’t mind reading why they think like they do. Still disagree with them, of course! There are always a couple around who are pains in the proverbial but that’s life, isn’t it ? Have to say the real psycho pains seem to have disappeared, for which I am thankful.

Scared? Moi? Definitely not. Like Primrose I’ve had plenty of PM’s from members who share my sentiments but aren’t robust enough to post them.

I only dip in and out of GN occasionally though but do sometimes read the estrangement and AIBU threads and some of the downright nasty comments shock even me. There are one or two posters, in fact one in particular, that can be relied upon to jump in and say something nasty every time. I can understand it on the political threads but can’t fathom why some seem to delight in piling in on someone who’s already upset about a personal matter.

I’m not sure why anyone is “scared” of posting what they really think unless what they really think would be offensive to many or illegal.

Unfortunately there are a small number of posters who are really unpleasant to anyone with whom they disagree. I finally did report one such poster who came in with a jackboot at pretty much everything I said. Even another poster commented on it. I believe that poster was warned. It’s sad that this sort of thing happens, but some on here, just like in real life, can’t stand any view other than their own.

One particularly nasty poster has disappeared. I suspect banned. She tended to make a beeline for me for some reason and it was very unpleasant.

Glad she’s gone, too, GSM . It was quite noticeable. Onwards and upwards now, as they say.

I’m not scared as such but I do find the patronising attitude of some posters very irritating. They seem to have no idea how sneery they sound but I wouldn’t say anything in RL so wouldn’t say anything on here.

I have never been good with names. Here they are basically names devoid of other clues.
I'm not sure that I would "recognise" more than a dozen of us after some years here.
If anyone's offended me I certainly don't remember who!

Hi everyone I’m not scared to post what I like and yes like most folks I can get it wrong so please forgive me and I apologise for any hurts that I may have posted. Take care my friends and do not be afraid

Germanshepherdsmum

One particularly nasty poster has disappeared. I suspect banned. She tended to make a beeline for me for some reason and it was very unpleasant.

Oh yes, I remember that.

You were the favourite 'flower' of this busy little bee!

Most unpleasant.

When I joined Gransnet about six years ago I ventured onto the news and politics thread. I gave my view and was attacked by several posters who were out to demean me. I wondered whether all GNs were like this and did I want to engage with them. Another poster came to my rescue and they all backed off.
I have to say that all those posters have now left.
One of the benefits of Gransnet is that it has made me tougher!

I am not scared, there are no real consequences to bad behaviour, those that are banned come back with a new ID.

I am not as harsh as I would like to be incase someone becomes genuinely upset.

I'm not sure if you're referring to the same poster, but I nearly had an anaphylactic shock I was stung so often each day!! 🐝 🐝 🐝 Horrible, and cruel!

Germanshepherdsmum

One particularly nasty poster has disappeared. I suspect banned. She tended to make a beeline for me for some reason and it was very unpleasant.

My post meant to include the above quote.

My first post a few years ago on News and Politics was very rudely attacked by one person - I was new to GN and the response really shocked me. As time went on, I noticed she did similar to everyone that disagreed with her. So yes, I'm scared. I now rarely post and then I reread and preview carefully - even if it's about my sewing!

Possibly, Joseann. It was very upsetting and almost as though she stalked me.

When I first joined,many years ago, I posted a comment and inadvertently missed out a comma, which made my comment seem confusing.
Think, Eats shoots and leaves.
I got the most arrogant, put down from one poster and didn’t post for weeks.
I never saw her post anything again and believe me I checked every day.
It knocked my confidence greatly.
I have grown several more thick skins since then .

Unfortunately there are the odd posters who stalk other posters. They stalk the ones they disagree with and sometimes reading their posts, anyone would think they hate the poster they’re responding to. One poster regularly uses sarcastic questions to posters she disagrees with. I often think that if they’re like that on here, what on earth are they like in real life?

The trouble is posters can and do disappear and then come back with a new name.
Sometimes it’s easy to identify them by their style of writing, but not always.

I often wonder if that has happened when a new name appears, allegedly a new member, who then wades in in an argumentative tone, rather than kind of feeling their way.

I have been followed onto other threads, called some pretty awful things and generally rubbished because I disagree with some very opinionated people. It doesn't stop me posting. I don't report things. If people feel they have to make something personal it just shows how inadequate their argument is.

There are people I'm happy to have discussions with because they are reasonable and have valid arguments. There are others I just avoid because they would disagree just because I said something. So I suppose I do sometimes not post things, not because I'm scared, but because it's boring to be perpetually put in the wrong. I did it to people when I was a teenager. I've grown out of it.

I am afraid to post sometimes in case it shows my ignorance or lack of understanding. Some posts seem to be written in a form of shorthand which I don’t understand but am afraid to ask for clarification as I might understand less!

Tizliz

I am afraid to post sometimes in case it shows my ignorance or lack of understanding. Some posts seem to be written in a form of shorthand which I don’t understand but am afraid to ask for clarification as I might understand less!

None of us are experts on everything. I'm not even an expert on anything, and that's not a humble-brag, I've studied none of the subjects I hold forth on, and am in awe of those who have.

On the whole, if you ask someone to explain their 'shorthand' they are more than willing and will often give you links so you can work it all out for yourself in your own time. I do actually follow links and have learned quite a bit from them.

Just dive in, I'm sure your opinion is as valid as anyone else's. Sometimes those who think they are unenlightened are quite the opposite.

Dickens - thanks