Are Gransnetters just vicious online trolls?

I don't think Cari would be saying vicious exchanges were not unusual on gransnet. They are unusual. Critical exchanges are not and there's no reason why they should be. Not all criticism is vicious. In fact, most isn't, whether on gransnet or elsewhere.

Well, most of what I read isn't anyhow.

Oh, I was nice to her.

See! Cari!

The rules are pretty ridiculous. You can't really set stuff like that in stone. Each case needs considering individually. But I guess it saves HQ having to actually think.

It was all made up by DM bet you anything!!!!!

No. She says on the thread she writes for things like The Oldie.

I'm just surprised this hasn't happened before.

Wonder if she got paid for it?!

#missedchance

How dare she say we like our coffee milky

Smileless - I can't remember any further back than "recently."

The article gives the impression that the whole of Gransnet is a hotbed of vicious bitchy comments. I find it by far the gentlest of all the forums I belong to.
Anyway just because we're old (or getting old) we don't all suddenly change into saints.
I think we should sue the DM for libel

I don’t think we are supposed to take the article seriously. Bridget Frew seems to be an experienced online blogger and freelance writer who produces pieces that she hopes are entertaining, and has now had an article published in the national press - and good for her! She will be delighted that we are discussing her. Perhaps she will come back and talk to us - I am sure she will be monitoring this thread to see what reaction there is to her article.

Oh, I think she means every word.

(Can't say I blame her)

Ooh! You bunch of vicious brolly waving grannies! Go find her and duff her up! (JOKE!) There are, on occasion, some cross exchanges, differences of opinions, and I have seen a few comments I could've done without; but on the whole, people are intelligent, supportive, kind and helpful. It's just knowing when to criticise and when to recognise a small problem to you could be a big problem to someone else I guess. In her case, she tried to be witty and it backfired as she didn't make it obvious it was a funny piece of writing and maybe this isn't the arena for it. I guess she 'burned' with humiliation, after it didn't go down as she hoped. No one likes to feel stupid I guess. Personally, I don't mind if people disagree with me. But I do get a bit touchy if people deliberately twist something I've said to make it sound like I've said something I haven't. And anyway, there's not a lot to be said for getting old apart from being allowed to be cantankerous! I've been looking forward to it!! ps - thinking of getting a stick, so I can whack people around the ankles with it!

Tricia

I wish I could remember what Ana said

Me too! It must have been really bad...

Oh dear, you 'orrible lot, I bet none of you knew we were being used as fodder for articles in the DM!
Me neither.

The other thread, about knitting, produced some very helpful and interesting posts as most threads are. Although dd may disagree with me :
I always avoid the knitting and broccoli threads, because they're dangerous
lol

How dare she say we like our coffee milky
I do, I'm one of those mentioned on a recent political thread; however the only thing I had in common with people referred to on that thread was liking latte

Ana what on earth did you say to get your post deleted? Probably that the OP was not that funny

Who is our Chief Mob Leader, a particularly acerbic and prolific online member? Come on, own up, can't find you!
Apparently the comments went on for pages - it amounts to one page as far as I can tell

I think Jingls hit the nail on the head when she posted to GrannyB63 on That Thread:
You can be the 'Daily Mail' bit of Gransnet. How prescient!

The views of 'Social media psychologist Dr Arthur Cassidy' sound quite spiteful, too. Apparently we 'are bored, we are missing attention and respect, we find this is an opportune way to relieve some of our frustrations as our bodies begin to wear out and we find ourselves no longer the centre of the nuclear family'.

GrannyB63, everyone was very nice to you until you posted a joke which was in rather poor taste, perhaps more suited to the Daily Mail than Gransnet.
But, if you don't have a proper story, make one up for the DM.

sorry, I am feeling a bit petty and spiteful!!

I have re-posted without the bit about the DM in case it gets deleted. (don't bother to read this one!)

Oh dear, you 'orrible lot, I bet none of you knew we were being used as fodder for articles in the DM!
Me neither.

The other thread, about knitting, produced some very helpful and interesting posts as most threads are. Although dd may disagree with me grin:
I always avoid the knitting and broccoli threads, because they're dangerous
lol

How dare she say we like our coffee milky
I do, I'm one of those mentioned on a recent political thread; however the only thing I had in common with people referred to on that thread was liking latte grin

Ana what on earth did you say to get your post deleted? Probably that the OP was not that funny shock

Who is our Chief Mob Leader, a particularly acerbic and prolific online member? Come on, own up, can't find you!
Apparently the comments went on for pages - it amounts to one page as far as I can tell confused

I think Jingls hit the nail on the head when she posted to GrannyB63 on That Thread:
You can be the 'Daily Mail' bit of Gransnet. grin How prescient!

The views of 'Social media psychologist Dr Arthur Cassidy' sound quite spiteful, too. Apparently we 'are bored, we are missing attention and respect, we find this is an opportune way to relieve some of our frustrations as our bodies begin to wear out and we find ourselves no longer the centre of the nuclear family'.

I dont think the writer has ignored anything?!

Food for thought really.

I think there was a thread recently that said things have heated up on gransnet, especially since the referendum being announced.

The news and politics topic is worse than that article, on an almost daily basis. Not for the faint hearted by a long way.

Just for the record:

Do be careful what you post on GN because we are used as a source of material for the Daily Mail (and probably other publications too)
Some of the articles in the link below are lifted from the DM (not all)

www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?sel=site&searchPhrase=Gransnet

If she thinks Gransnet is full of elderly trolls, she should try posting somewhere like idf50. I belonged to it years ago and it was very "lively" - practically pistols at dawn, sometimes.

As for the blog post, it was really weak stuff. How does she manage to sell any material, if it is as poor as that? Mind you, references to someone's "musings about life" is never a good sign. It usually means the writing will be pretty bad.

Makes sense Jalima. Journalists doing their research without having to stop a grannie in the street to see what they think.

What fascinated me, was her witty posting, wasn't; but she managed to write quite an eloquent piece on the reception she got for her offering!

Ana, maybe you broke advertising guidelines by suggesting a good Creative writing course!

obieone I think the political threads do get quite heated - but not as much as other political forums from what I gather (although I don't know personally as I don't look at much else). However, we can expect it as people's views vary so much. Not for the faint-hearted, you're right.

However, having started a thread which went down like a lead balloon, most posters would think 'oops, I made a wrong move there', not write a rather vicious and spiteful article in the national press decrying this site and accusing Gransnetters of being The most vicious online trolls granny trolls pouring poison and bullying a naive what-we-now-know-to-be-journalist.

This apparently by fellow knitters and jam-makers, even though the knitting thread was kind, pleasant and very interesting.

Bluecat I do love a well written and funny piece of satire on the musings of life. But you have to be good at it. David Mitchell, Andy Hamilton, Outnumbered. I think in this posters' situ, it was a case of 'know your audience'.

She also points out in the article that Gransnet is an offshoot of the hugely popular Mumsnet

Has she ever been on Mumsnet, I wonder?
We are gentle souls in comparison

You are right, though *GrannyB63 - you're never too old to be a bully

I am sure many Gnetters feel rather bullied by that article.
I was going to post but it's just not worth it.