Do you remember wayback when.........

Yes, totally- that is why seeing the reality could be fun.

Fluerpepper
I’m not sure, don’t you find you have a mental image of someone, then they say something that blows it all out of the window, and you have to rearrange your image completely.

I completely agree with OP. I find GN very dull these days and political threads are dominated by people with party affilaitions who seem too frightened to think outside the party line all the time, so that the possibity of an open free-ranging conversation when one can develop and even change ones views, is impossible.

Farzanah
Oh I know what you mean about the Archers, the men mainly, Tom, Will and Ed, just not what I had in mind, and Neil, who couldn’t love Neil, just all wrong.

Sara1954

Calandargirl
I agree, I wouldn’t want to meet up, for me it would be way too weird.
I have mental pictures of most of the members I come across, and imagine their lifestyles, as you say, probably completely wrong, but from different threads you start to build up a picture.

But that would be the fun bit, for me. Seeing if the mental picture fits or not?

Sara1954 I know what you mean. Spoiled the Archers for me when I saw photos of the actors who played the main characters.

Calandargirl
I agree, I wouldn’t want to meet up, for me it would be way too weird.
I have mental pictures of most of the members I come across, and imagine their lifestyles, as you say, probably completely wrong, but from different threads you start to build up a picture.

It varies from time to time as posters come and go but the themes are generally similar, middle class, older female preoccupations for example relationships, health, hair & clothing, pets & gardens, politics right & left, and the perennial fav the Royal Family……..and hundreds of games threads.
Bit of a harmless time gobbling distraction really, but some posters are very kind and supportive to each other, and it is a source of useful information from time to time.
Not much change, but perhaps in the eye of the beholder? Depends what you’re looking for.

I’m not sure it’s changed a lot, the first couple of comments I made were shot down, one about dogs in restaurants as I recall, I was not upset, but quite surprised at the strength of feeling against me, so I don’t like dogs in restaurants, I’m not calling for all dogs to be euthanised.

Since then I just look in and out, like others I keep out of politics, to be honest I’m not knowledgeable enough to keep up, there are some very clever ladies here for sure.

That's upsetting to hear, Vintagejazz. More for you.

Perhaps we all need to take a big breath before launching off about something. We do not know what is going on in other posters' lives, and while it's easy to put one's foot in it unintentionally, I can't see what anyone gains by going to the lengths of using pms to continue the attack.

Surely a bit of idle chat is what everyone needs from time to time, and if you're not in the mood for it, don't take part, for goodness sake! This all reminds me of the threads in Pedants' Corner (the clue is in the title) when someone accuses us of splitting hairs. That's what pedants do, and why we have a corner for doing it, and anyone is welcome to join in for a bit of splitting, but asking us why we are wasting time doing it is a bit pointless!

I've been a member for nearly 6 years and haven't noticed changes. Shortly after I joined there was a nasty spat about estrangement, so even then things could get heated. I agree that when someone starts a thread about something "trivial" and gets jumped on by others, it is upsetting to OP.

However, after last weekend's discussions, a few more members who don't post much, might be encouraged to support someone who has been pounced on for no good reason. It certainly has encouraged me to be less likely to stay quiet.

Yes, the last time I started a thread on some everyday trivial annoyance I had people asking me if I had nothing better to worry about, why had I started such a pointless thread and one person even started pming me to berate me.
I mean it was perfectly clear from the title that it wasn't about global warming or the pandemic or anything serious.

I had recently been bereaved but apparently had no real problems because I wanted an idle chat about something not very important.

Caleo Wed 31-Aug-22 11:30:34
There is no use complaining, If something is not to your taste change it.

This made me laugh. I'm sure that wasn't the intention, but it tickled me. Perhaps the poster would like to explain, HOW?

One of the saddest things to happen to GN recently is that people need to say when a thread is lighthearted.

I think that is an indicator of the nastier nature of the group.

I was going to start a lighthearted thread about a fly in my wine but couldn't be bothered because I knew somebody would find fault with it.

welbeck

how can you hide a thread.
there doesn't seem to be a button for it, unlike MN.
i would prefer the games to have their own section, as they are not discussions like the rest here.
i find discussions by clicking on active, and esp at night it is almost full of games, few discussions.

If you go to Mobile site (click on that at the bottom of the page) then click on a thread you want to hide, a little red arrow shows on the right. Click on that for the option to hide

Fleurpepper

Not sure about Ye Goode Olde Days, but it is a fact that several factors in the last 6 years (and I let you guess which 2 major one, 1 person and 1 'event') have caused huge divides in society, with a lot of resentment, and currently, real fears- and it is not surprising that it is reflected here.

Just what I was thinking while catching up with this thread, Fleurpepper. In some ways the world has become nastier and more scary over the past few years for the reasons you almost mention, and I think we are all more likely to fly off into a tirade than we might once have been. I still think GN is an interesting site, and that I have gained an insight into the lives and opinions of people I would never otherwise have encountered.

to you all.

The only difference imo is that it’s got more political, because the country has become more political and tribal ( divide and rule and all that). But, like most forums there’s no reason not to just stick to none controversial stuff.

Welbeck, There are things I can do on my iPad or computer that aren’t available on my phone. Perhaps someone else will know.

how can you hide a thread.
there doesn't seem to be a button for it, unlike MN.
i would prefer the games to have their own section, as they are not discussions like the rest here.
i find discussions by clicking on active, and esp at night it is almost full of games, few discussions.

re GN, I agree with DannieRae.
Posting on MN can get some really vicious responses, so I’m more a lurker there.

I think the ‘lighthearted” threads mentioned in the OP are harder to introduce because (to a certain extent rightly) other people may say “How can you worry about whether pink suits you when there’s a war in Ukraine, there’s climate change, fuel costs are soaring” etc.
Each to their own, but I’m not a fan of the ‘silly’ threads with wacky humour which either appeals to you or not.

I haven’t been posting very long at all, I’ve not really seen any nastiness, I’m the type that would take the rough with the smooth, I’m quite thick skinned and realise that people have different experiences of life, but if I noticed anyone I thought that was being nasty or very harsh to another poster, yes I’d call them out on it, so far I’m finding everyone nice

Not sure about Ye Goode Olde Days, but it is a fact that several factors in the last 6 years (and I let you guess which 2 major one, 1 person and 1 'event') have caused huge divides in society, with a lot of resentment, and currently, real fears- and it is not surprising that it is reflected here.

There is no use complaining, If something is not to your taste change it.

I have thought a few times about leaving due the nasty comments you receive when posting, thinking about it after the last lot , it was not good