Posting on threads to put them down

I believe they're called 'trolls' who are cowardly enough to hide behind their anonymity as they would quickly get a bad reputation and lose all their friends if they behaved like this in real life, wouldn't they? Thankfully they're a minority.

Doodledog

FannyCornforth

Grannynannywanny

Completely agree with all you’ve said Beswitched. No idea why anyone takes the time to read a thread then take the time to post on it specifically to say they’re not interested.

I think that this tends to happen when threads are mentioned in the GN email newsletter thingy.
Threads always go a bit peculiar.
I think that some people think that they are duty bound to comment; regardless of whether or not they have anything of interest to add.

It's a bit like this Amazon reviews that say something like 'I bought this for my wife, but her birthday's not till Tuesday so she hasn't opened it yet.' Not remotely helpful, but the poster must feel they've joined in .

As for 'first world problems', we live in a first world country (at least for now), so what other sort of problems do people think we are going to have? By definition we all have access to the Internet, so are not the most deprived people in the UK, either.

Also, 'get a life' is the most meaningless phrase I can think of. What does it mean?

Also, 'get a life' is the most meaningless phrase I can think of. What does it mean?

I have to admit that one riles me more just about more than any other. And, as you say - what does it even mean?

I've been told on FB to 'get a life' over posts on just about every subject, at least by one person... who's often also made derogatory comments to others like "are you for real"?

The literal assumption behind the phrase is of course that you don't actually "get out much" or lead any kind of meaningful life. Which of course is absolutely silly because the person saying it has no idea who he / she is talking to or what kind of life they might be leading.

So what it really means is, 'I-don't-agree-with-you-so-I'm-going-to-insult-you'.

It's a phrase used as a put-down by those who lack critical-thinking skills and can't form an opposing argument. I hardly ever respond - it's pointless. Although I did once, and asked, "what kind of life do you suggest I might lead other than the one you don't know I'm leading?" And just got a torrent of personal insults. This individual looked at my FB profile page and used a photo' of me in a baggy jumper to ask "what I was hiding". That's the mentality behind those who say that.

In essence, they're just nasty people who get angry with those who don't share their POV and don't have the ability to debate.

So that's why I never bother to respond to them anymore.

But it's never happened on GN. I think we're generally far more civilised on here.

It's a lack of imagination really. Because someone is posting about their neighbour's loud children or someone's annoying dog, or the poor service in their local café they obviously haven't any real 'problems' or 'dilemmas' and are leading an easy life.
Whereas anyone with any genuine empathy will realise they haven't a clue what's going on in anyone's life, and just because someone is posting about something every day and trivial doesn't mean they also have lots of heartache going on.

I keenly followed Lucca’s lasagne thread and have made the recipe she recommended many times. It is now requested and never fails. Thank you.
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I posted exactly that elsewhere Beswitched just because someone had concerns about fuel prices affecting home care it didn't mean they cared less about the people of Ukraine.
We can sympathise on different levels, one concern does not preclude another

I missed that lasagna thread, I must try and find it. I often make moussaka and eat lasagna but haven’t tried any variations. That is why I love gransnet - it is my go to for finding books and all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

Nannagarra

I keenly followed Lucca’s lasagne thread and have made the recipe she recommended many times. It is now requested and never fails. Thank you.
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We can sympathise on different levels, one concern does not preclude another

Not on GN apparently. It's impossible to care for more than one issue at any one time and, if you state that you do care about something, you'll get demands to prove it i.e. how many refugees are you housing, which supermarket are you boycotting etc? Competitive empathy.

We luxuriate in our anonymity on Gransnet and this leads to outbursts we may not have the courage to say to someone face to face. I can think of a couple of gransnetters who I know will irritate me, particularly the Miss Perfect types or the know all.
People have bad days, big troubles and see an opening to vent.
Unresolved pent up frustrations can befall the hapless commentator on a subject which triggers them.

I know what you mean. The problem is that the person subject to an unprovoked attack might also be going through a bad time. Fair enough, some people do come back and apologise. We're all human and can snap.
But some, even when called on it, just stay silent or try to defend their rudeness, or continue in that vein on other threads. They are the ones who lack awareness I think.