I really thought this site had a lot to interest me, but just a little too frequently I find myself reading threads which, without rhyme or reason, are spoiled by people posting what I consider to be angry/inappropriate responses.
I PMd Imperfect because I thought the post telling her to 'get over herself' when she was upset after spending hours worrying about her daughter going through a difficult labour, only to receive news that all was well via a text, was insensitive and inappropriate. In my opinion it really was a case of if you cannot post something supportive, then better to refrain from posting.
Someone posted a very sarcastic reponse to me. I would never be deliberately rude to anyone, and for an anonymous person to be sarcastic towards me was offensive. Saying that, I do have a low tolerance level for rudeness, so I possibly take offence far quicker than another person who can adopt a neutral stance. Now some people might tell me to ‘just grow a pair’, but frankly I have no wish to and anyway I have no use for ‘a pair’.
I rarely have to deal with rude people in real life, but if I do my usual response is to get away from them. I do not need them in my life. I totally understand that it’s unrealistic to expect everyone in life to be nice and friendly, but I truly hadn’t expected to encounter so much rudeness in a forum for mature adults. I would not tolerate it in my 'real life', and I find no pleasure in reading such posts in a forum I joined for pleasure.
Comparisons with Mumsnet are unhelpful as it is no benchmark of common courtesy on a public forum.
On a website we have the luxury of choice, and having spent a little too much time reading and absorbing the tenor of many threads on GN I am now bowing out.
Thank you to those who befriended me. I appreciate your PMs very much.