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What would Jane Austen have made of Gransnet?

(36 Posts)
CatsWhiskas Mon 22-Jun-26 12:42:10

I've just spent half an hour stuck in heavy traffic in a car and my mind started wandering.

We all know that Jane Austen was a shrewd observer of human beings and institutions and I was wondering what a 21st century Jane Austen would have written about social media interactions.

(Random I know, but I was bored.)

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 12:46:48

Love this post!

I actually think she’d like it.

I like it!

I like the fact that we are all so different, yet come together and almost always manage a decent debate, fight our corner and make very valid points.

I think Jane Austin would find us an interesting bunch and this site reflective of our current society as a whole.

I think she’d agree with some of us sometimes and disagree at other times.

CatsWhiskas Mon 22-Jun-26 12:48:51

Would she pick up on some posters' foibles?

eazybee Mon 22-Jun-26 12:53:23

Jane Austen had a very sharp tongue on occasion (see her letters) so although she would have been a shrewd, witty and pithy contributor she did not suffer fools gladly , so sadly, I fear she would be banned.

butterandjam Mon 22-Jun-26 12:56:06

She'd be shocked at the poor level of literacy

Fallingstar Mon 22-Jun-26 13:08:43

I think she would have loved to gossip and wouldn’t have been banned because when saying something insulting she would be so magnificently eloquent that nobody would take offence.
But she would have been a fierce campaigner against misogyny imho, for in all her great works she had little patience for the nonsense of men.

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 13:14:12

eazybee

Jane Austen had a very sharp tongue on occasion (see her letters) so although she would have been a shrewd, witty and pithy contributor she did not suffer fools gladly , so sadly, I fear she would be banned.

Yes indeed 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 13:14:30

Fallingstar

I think she would have loved to gossip and wouldn’t have been banned because when saying something insulting she would be so magnificently eloquent that nobody would take offence.
But she would have been a fierce campaigner against misogyny imho, for in all her great works she had little patience for the nonsense of men.

👏👏👏👏

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 13:15:26

butterandjam

She'd be shocked at the poor level of literacy

She most certainly would.

nanna8 Mon 22-Jun-26 13:15:56

No - some person would report her ,she would have to change her name !

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 13:16:48

nanna8

No - some person would report her ,she would have to change her name !

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Great posts here!

CatsWhiskas Mon 22-Jun-26 13:29:23

eazybee

Jane Austen had a very sharp tongue on occasion (see her letters) so although she would have been a shrewd, witty and pithy contributor she did not suffer fools gladly , so sadly, I fear she would be banned.

Even if she were banned, she could still read the posts and write a novel based on GN and its inhabitants.

Oreo Mon 22-Jun-26 13:31:28

Truly, she would f**** love it!

Cossy Mon 22-Jun-26 13:41:33

Oreo

Truly, she would f**** love it!

Yes!! 🤣🤣🤣

MT62 Mon 22-Jun-26 20:06:14

butterandjam

She'd be shocked at the poor level of literacy

At least we try

HelterSkelter1 Mon 22-Jun-26 20:13:14

What would her username be?? Nonsenseandsociability?

LauraNorderr Mon 22-Jun-26 20:16:48

She may even give up literature and get an allotment and grow stuff.

watermeadow Mon 22-Jun-26 20:19:04

In her social circle mothers were not nearly as interesting as sisters, cousins and prospective spouses. Grandmothers were of no importance.
As most girls married young they would become grandmamas in their fourties and be regarded as old ladies. Good only for poking fun at.

Grandmaofone Mon 22-Jun-26 20:20:19

butterandjam

She'd be shocked at the poor level of literacy

seconded, whole heartedly

Sickofweddingcake Mon 22-Jun-26 20:39:06

She may initiate a thread:
'What's everybody reading?'

MT62 Mon 22-Jun-26 21:18:49

Pity they didn’t know about dyslexia back in the day butter & Jam.

SueDonim Mon 22-Jun-26 21:35:46

Maybe she’d be the Lady Thistledown of today, writing an anonymous column on X about the foibles of 21st Century life.

She’d ben impressed by levels of functional literacy today, which are about 80% in the UK. In her day, it stood at about 50%.

Plevey08 Mon 22-Jun-26 22:08:18

She observed many types of people with different dialects. I don't think a few spelling mistakes would have bothered her. She'd appreciate the strong views, thoughtfulness and be well pleased with the desire for women to engage on many topics. She'd definitely write a book or two about us.

MT62 Mon 22-Jun-26 22:16:04

Plevey08

She observed many types of people with different dialects. I don't think a few spelling mistakes would have bothered her. She'd appreciate the strong views, thoughtfulness and be well pleased with the desire for women to engage on many topics. She'd definitely write a book or two about us.

👍🏻😊

Romola Mon 22-Jun-26 22:25:31

I think she might lurk in order to observe the breadth of opinion and customs (gentle parenting, anyone?) but wouldn't deign to post.