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Wrist slapping

(56 Posts)
Babs03 Thu 15-Aug-24 20:23:54

Have not been on this site for long but have already noticed that members sometimes like to do a spot of wrist slapping with regard to certain comments. The thing is we all have our own opinions and like to voice them but one person's opinion isn't any better or worse than the next person's. And cheap digs or insults are a sign of someone who cannot think of anything constructive or intelligent to say.
And if someone posts something others think is trivial but the poster finds upsetting don't just dismiss this, is not for us to dictate how a person should feel.
I am probably as guilty as others of indulging in some of the above but after having my wrist slapped today took a long hard look at how I respond.

NotSpaghetti Wed 21-Aug-24 21:03:58

Hello ferry23 - nice post.

Casdon Wed 21-Aug-24 20:43:07

Don’t take it to heart Indigo8, as long as you don’t break the Gransnet guidelines and end up with deletions, you can safely ignore wrist slapping from anybody else - it’s a bit of a bear pit at times on here.

fancythat Wed 21-Aug-24 20:23:52

biglouis

*I suppose it depends on how you define wrist slapping. It can be hurtful but I’d rather somebody took a swipe at me publicly so I could deal with the issue, than pressed that blasted report button - which is getting rather too much use at the moment*

No one respects a grasser.

This is true I would think.

But that does not stop people[on here I presume] and in real life.
It is becoming[in real life at least] more and more effective. Sadly.

mae13 Wed 21-Aug-24 20:17:52

IMHO the moderators have taken on the role of a Praetorian Guard, operating within narrow parameters and arbitrarily. Woe betide anyone who offends them.......and that's exceptionally easy to do, as they move the goalposts on the merest whim.

Oreo Wed 21-Aug-24 18:03:42

Hope this thread won’t descend into yet another, as GN call it a ‘quest to just air personal grievances’ as we’re all older adults who can either take or reject a wristslap for goodness sake.
If it’s a real personal attack/ swearing/ insult at you then report it.If it’s just you feeling miffed at something you don’t like then either ignore it or reply without it being a case for deletion.
Them’s my thoughts anyway.

Indigo8 Wed 21-Aug-24 17:38:21

Only been posting a short time and have had several wrist slaps already. Not aware of having dished any out yet.

Babs03 Fri 16-Aug-24 10:37:12

Oreo

If anyone slaps my wrist on SM then I slap them right back, tho I do try and think if there’s any merit in what they say, but if not and it’s just a dig, then right backatcha is my motto.

I do like the cut and thrust of debate on news/politics, of course arguments can become robust, which doesn’t bother me as long as people are voicing their opinions or trying to engage intelligently with the topic. But the cheap digs, the one liners, that are not engaging with what posters are trying to say but simply aiming to insult them are really irritating.
Will agree to disagree in such a debate because it isn’t a contest to prove who is right.
I agree therefore with what you say but generally don’t resort to digs directed back at the culprit because in my experience they then carry on ad nauseum.

Wyllow3 Fri 16-Aug-24 10:31:08

JaneJudge

Please nobody needs to leave!

How I feel too. Miss people who've gone.
In terms of news and politics I'm hoping that when there is more to discuss it will get better.

rafichagran Fri 16-Aug-24 10:17:08

I can slap back, but some posters are less robust.
As for the comment about grasses. I expect that that from my Grandson who has just finished year 6, not a adult. It is not nice for a poster who is followed or harassed, if it happened to me I would post, oh it's you again, why bother, to me you are water of a ducks back.
I don't like reporting, but on one occasion I did, when a poster was openly racist.

Blinko Fri 16-Aug-24 10:15:29

Marthjolly1

Maddyone - I had wondered where GSM had gone. She has always been so generous to anyone who needed some legal advice. She will be much missed if banned. I do hope not

I too am wondering what's happened to GSM. I'm missing her input already..

JaneJudge Fri 16-Aug-24 10:11:53

Please nobody needs to leave!

Cossy Fri 16-Aug-24 10:09:13

merlotgran

I suppose it depends on how you define wrist slapping. It can be hurtful but I’d rather somebody took a swipe at me publicly so I could deal with the issue, than pressed that blasted report button - which is getting rather too much use at the moment.

I agree!

Vintagejazz Fri 16-Aug-24 09:51:07

Unfortunately though a certain type of poster just becomes totally incensed at being treated in kind, and will follow you around threads for daring to challenge them. Sometimes backed up by a couple of henchmen. In my opinion anyone who does that should receive a permanent ban.

Oreo Fri 16-Aug-24 09:05:06

If anyone slaps my wrist on SM then I slap them right back, tho I do try and think if there’s any merit in what they say, but if not and it’s just a dig, then right backatcha is my motto.

Vintagejazz Fri 16-Aug-24 08:53:22

The cruelty of some posters astonishes me. I remember a poster who was clearly very distressed about the care a seriously ill family member was getting in hospital being severely told off by a poster who took umbrage because her daughter is a nurse and she didn't like the profession being criticised.

I have seen similar examples of complete lack of compassion and no seeming awareness that the person on the receiving end of these remarks was a real human being with feelings and emotions. Not just here but on other forums as well. Some people just seem to lose all humanity when they get in front of a keyboard.

Tuaim Fri 16-Aug-24 08:45:40

For me the litmus test for wrist slapping is when I get that 'cold feeling' that goes through you if say someone severely reprimands you in a shop or your own home. It takes a couple of days to get over. If someone does that to me I avoid them in future like the plague. Using civilized words does not take much effort but, I feel, nowadays, people just launch forth and type to strangers what they would not dream of saying in real life.

petra Fri 16-Aug-24 08:28:40

Fortunately I have a disposition that doesn’t get offended at personal remarks aimed at me. I have a little chuckle 🤭

What does make my piss boil is the double standards between GN&MN.

MissInterpreted Fri 16-Aug-24 08:26:20

westendgirl

Maddyone I was looking at the Education site yesterday and see GSM is posting there.(exams topic )
I think this post is a brilliant idea and hope it reassures those who are worried.I also hope that it is read by all .

If it's the same exams thread I read, unfortunately I think it was an old thread which was revived, and GSM's comments were from 2022.

blue14 Fri 16-Aug-24 08:08:58

ferry23 - my thoughts exactly! I feel I could have written that post as it resonates completely.

MissInterpreted Fri 16-Aug-24 08:05:46

If I have offended or upset someone, I'd much rather they came out with it and told me. The only time I've ever reported posts was for obvious scams - with one exception. A while back, there was one poster who clearly had a problem with me and took it so far that it became constant harassment, to the extent that I came off here altogether for quite some time. I don't mind a good robust debate, but there will always be someone who crosses the line into personal abuse - and that's just wrong. It's not a question of anyone being 'too sensitive', it's just unacceptable. We're all adults and should be able to debate and disagree without it degenerating into insults or abuse.

Marydoll Fri 16-Aug-24 07:41:39

Gransnet can be a bit like that. "Nonense, there's no bad behaviour/ganging up/bullying on here. I've never experienced it. Some posters are just too sensitive " whenever the topic comes up.

Just because one hasn't experienced it , doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

westendgirl Fri 16-Aug-24 07:40:14

Maddyone I was looking at the Education site yesterday and see GSM is posting there.(exams topic )
I think this post is a brilliant idea and hope it reassures those who are worried.I also hope that it is read by all .

Marydoll Fri 16-Aug-24 07:38:27

Some wise posts on this thread. I feared it would escalate into something else.

Casdon, I tend to agree with you. If I see a poster being bullied by personal attacks, after consideration, I usually report. However, I state that I am reporting and am certainly not a grass.

Vintagejazz Fri 16-Aug-24 07:36:02

I belong to a Bridge club. Out of a large membership there are a few of the long standing more experienced members who are snappy, bossy and difficult to play with. They have no awareness that their behaviour is not acceptable and that they upset people. Then they are surprised that they have difficulty finding a partner to play with when their regular partner is unavailable. Someone did tentatively mention to one of them that maybe they needed to be less argumentative but just got a 'nonsense, I'm not argumentative' response.
Gransnet can be a bit like that. "Nonense, there's no bad behaviour/ganging up/bullying on here. I've never experienced it. Some posters are just too sensitive " whenever the topic comes up.

Casdon Fri 16-Aug-24 07:31:25

I take your point Marydoll, I’ve seen that happen and it’s very unpleasant when people pile on and target somebody.

I reported somebody a couple of days ago though for a serious personal attack on another poster. I said I’d done it, because I think we’ve got a responsibility to do that if we report somebody. We can’t know their personal issues, but I don’t think, whatever those issues are, that’s an excuse for calling somebody else horrible things.

Raps over the knuckles by other posters are commonplace though, we all get them if we wade in, we’re all different and some are more sensitive than others to that. There wouldn’t be any conversation without disagreement on some topics though - I don’t think that is bullying, bullying is a when one poster attacks another on a personal level rather than about their views. I’m interested to hear if others think we shouldn’t report personal attacks, I’m quite content to let anything else stand but that’s always been my personal line, and I’ve now reported three times in the eight years I’ve been on Gransnet.