Why do you come to Gransnet?

Thanks, Jalima.

You could say that Gransnet itself is meaningless as it is not Real Life.

(sorry Lara Cari et al)

another emoticon

Oh, come on! Far too late for philosophical statements like that.

I am off to bed now to ponder the Meaning of Gransnet

Jalima, it is compulsory to read every post?

Most of our real-life conversations contain a high proportion of meaningless remarks. Wanting or not wanting them on Gransnet depends on whether you feel you are having a conversation or holding a committee meeting to plan vital strategy and tactics for a proposed project.

I hadn't thought of it but suppose it's a need to control the forum

If you have a hide button, all you control is what you see, not what anyone else sees, so there's no control of a forum.

You don't have to use it if you want to see all the comments.
Strange that people don't understand that.

"I suppose it's a need to control the forum". Exactly anniebach ?
You're absolutely right to point out that each post is meaningful to the person who posts it.

Rosesarered received a PM in error , it said to ignore her posts, if there was an ignore thingy then same thing as that PM to Roses, control of the forum.

Anyone who wants the forum to go that way does not believe in freedom of soeech

I do not have to listen to what people say but I support their freedom to express their thoughts! And that is all a hide button is. I know what a self declared political party supporter is likely to say so I do not have to keep listening to the same old same old if I choose not to. People think that about me too I am sure!

What has happened to the person who sent that PM to roses by mistake?

No idea Jen

Annie and Iam have you actually worked out how 'hide' would work or have you just come on to disagree. If I chose to hide - say Annie's comments - all that would happen is that I would not see them. Like walking away from a group conversation that contained Annie to another group. The remaining people in the group around Annie would still be able to discuss with her in RL or, on here, see her posts. How on earth is that controlling the forum!

The forum I was on contained a couple of racist old pensioners. I put them on 'hide' (or in that forum's case 'ignore'); I did not have to read their extreme remarks after that. It certainly did not stop them making them or other people to stop telling them what racist old men (they were - old men I mean) they were.

The alternative would have been for anyone who was upset by their comments to leave. I thought the problem everyone was going on about on here was that some people don't like some other people's remarks on the politics thread so don't post. This way we could all join in without seeing posts that upset us. I imagine person A 'hiding' a particular persons post from themselves might well be hiding a different persons post to the one person B might choose to hide and person C, D, E an F might not want to hide any posts from themselves and would therefore see all the posts so no on would be controlling them or what they saw!!!

Good explanation, GracesGran.
Pleased I got it right.

Yes we could avoid posts which could upset us, we could also avoid a balanced discussion for example on the political threads

You could Annie, I would probably choose not to do so. Neither of us would be influencing the other in any way.

Actually, we could get some really good discussions going on the politics threads without being deflected.

That person is no longer with us durhamj ( but will no doubt be back at some point.)

I think an ignore button would be disastrous.

I think so too kitty

It would be ridiculous. Why do certain people even want to be on GN to discuss politics if they can't handle any opposition or challenge to their views?

Why not decamp to a Labour-only site where only 'like minded people' are allowed in?

We can do that as well, Ana.

Yes, I'm sure you do.