Has Brexit ruined Gransnet?

There have always been political threads on Gransnet, they are just different now as Brexit has taken over. Personally, I don't always read them and rarely comment but do believe they are more tolerant than discussions/arguments elsewhere.

Somehow we managed before we joined the EU. Whatever happens we'll cope after we either leave or we don't. Equally, GN was an interesting site before all this erupted. Remember Durhamjen? Boy oh boy we had some ding ding battles on the politics threads before she left.

It has made it very boring. The majority of the threads seem to be clones of each other, regardless of what their original, Brexit USP was.

Every thread seems to have the same people saying the same things again interminably. I do look at them on occasion and throw the odd squib, but mostly, Yawn.

I think I’m lucky in that Brexit, if and when it happens, will most likely not affect me, or my family at all. No one can be totally sure, but it seems the most likely outcome. Nor have our family been split by being on opposing sides, we have both remainers and leavers, but family relationships remain good. I feel sympathy for those whose families have been ripped asunder due to differing beliefs, and even more sorry for those who are unable to plan for the future due to the current impasse.

As for Gransnet, I expect that eventually the political threads will simmer down, and other political subjects will even be discussed. As others have said, those grans who don’t wish to contribute to Bexit threads, or find them distasteful, can choose to read and comment on the many other threads on Gransnet.

Better add dystopian to my list!

Nobody has to log on to GN if they don’t want to.

You have to become forum savvy...ie remember you can put your tablet/phone/whatever away and go back later/next day/not at all,

You don’t have to engage with the obsessed/rude/resentful/ignorant/disillusioned/etc unless you like fighting crusades or lost causes.

And there is always the thread about cauliflower cheese if you feel you’d prefer a quiet space or the Argy Bargy if you want to let it all hang out!

It will affect some people a lot harder than others - for sure. The poorest, the most vulnerable - and will probably lead to unrest. Not ideal for me, perhaps not for you - we can weather it- many won't be able to. And it will be a disaster for the NHS (ok for those who go private), education (ok for those who go private)- and social services (ok for you or I who have (probably) never had to rely on the net. Other issues like crime, terrorism (without cooperation with the EU)- etc, will create a society where all will be affected by fear and distrust. Most would not enjoy living behind electric fences and be driven everywhere with doors and windows locked.

Brexit has not changed GN, but it is in the process of changing GB, and not for the better in my mind.

I don't think brexit has ruined GN. I don't think it's ruined GB either. We've weathered worse over the years. This could be the start of a necessary change in politics. Painful but probably necessary.
Brexit? Not ideal but not the end of the world either.

I don’t think Brexit has ruined Gransnet. Ask me if some of the posters on Gransnet have tried to ruin Gransnet and the answer will be different.

Democracy is an organic , dynamic process. We are all better informed now. A second referendum would be a fairer process.

What has happened is the overturning of democracy as understood and cherished in this country.

Indeed it has, eazybee. Democracy as we understand it is about free and fair elections (or, in this rare case, referendums). Note that very important word fair. This means abiding by the rules.

We know that Vote Leave seriously broke electoral law (and there have been referrals to the police) and we know that they cheated. We'll set aside the secretive 'dark ads', targeted only at people likely to be receptive to them and not open to all the campaigns to see and be able to answer to, though secret advertising doesn't come within my definition of fair.

This is not democracy, this is 'win at all costs' practice we would be first to condemn in another country. It sickens me that people, particularly our leaders, are willing to turn a blind eye to it. So much for the British belief in 'fair play' that we've always been so proud of.

A leader with any moral compass would have voided the result, strengthened the rules and had a rerun.

GN not GB oh for an edit button here!

GB is the least of our worries. Anyone who does not want to take part in political discussion, can just avoid it altogether- simples.

Unfortunately, the effect of Brexit has done much more damage in real life. Split communities, families, friends, neighbours, work colleagues - I know many younger people on remain sites who no longer talk to or visit, parents or sibblings- no because they voted 'leave' per se- but because of the reasons stated. Now that is truly sad and even tragic- GN is of no importance whatsoever in this context.

No, it hasn’t ruined GN, in fact a few years ago the politics pages were much much worse.
After we leave the EU things will simmer down, and it will be back to politics as usual.
I cannot understand why some people have allowed rifts to happen between themselves and family and friends over this matter.....sheer madness.

Gransnet is whatever you want it to be. Some members never read the politics threads. I am very political, so I come on mostly to read the News and Politics threads. Brexit hasn't happened yet, but only because the entire nation is split and MPs who are in the thick of it are trying desperately to apply the rules of democracy in spite of the steamroller job the Tories have attempted.

Undoubtedly what we have on GN is in microcosm what is happening out there and yes, the nation is divided. It is regrettable that some factions have made very angry scenes, attacking the press and behaving like louts. Would I want to know them on a personal level - no. Do I think all Brexit supporters are like them - no. That's nonsense to think everyone who thought it best to leave the EU is like them.

So on GN we have a spat with words. Yes, people are naturally very wound up by events and we're not robots, we have fears and beliefs which have been deeply challenged in this whole process.

I will forever think it's madness to leave the EU, you may think differently but you're entitled to your views. From what some posters have written on GN, we would not be friends in RL but that's life anyway isn't it? We don't get on with everyone we meet in life.

Hello all, this is my first post on this topic on GN although been reading it for a 2 or 3 years now. Just worked out how to make post after password reset.

I find the range of views on Brexit and other stuff does reflect diverse views of nation and is much better tempered than post on newspaper and media sites. I enjoy reading it. But I was thinking this morning that Mrs May must have been mad to call election in 2017 reducing working majority to the sorry state of today. It is a real mess.

Debate is always a good thing, only when it gets into personal derogatory insults is it wrong, but that goes for any subject.

Hey maryeliza we agree on something!
?

Urm exactly. As to the OP - no it hasn’t ruined GN - the passion and debate re Brexit is reflected on GN and it would be very odd if it were not.

Haha - like objecting to MPs voting who are legally entitled to vote eazy ( I know I know TAAT but couldn’t resist). The foundations of democracy are the rule of law and due process. If you only apply those to people you approve of then you might as well take democracy and stuff it quite frankly.

I only joined GN after the referendum so I don’t have a comparison. Those who don’t like debate can always swerve the political threads I suppose.

Brexit hasn't ruined anything because it hasn't happened yet. What has happened is the overturning of democracy as understood and cherished in this country.

Tolerance?

No!. GN can cope with this Brexit madness and survive beyond it. Just a bit of tolerance is all it takes.