Forum Topic

This forum needs a change of direction

Every time I take a look on this forum, it seems the same group of grumpy men spewing out the same old rhetoric day after day, week after week from a certain political persuasion.Is it any wonder that no fresh faces ever join this forum?

julie Goodyear ● 2339d38 Comments

Not just the guys Julie.

Allen Bracchi ● 2339d

If you feel that way and yes it is warranted then how about adding some arguments of your own? Chiswick is often more interesting. Maybe we could make the Putney site more exciting too?

Katrina Black ● 2339d

Of the 21 posts on page 1.  13 initiated by females and 8 by males. Same old grumpy men? Just saying ......

Andy Pike ● 2339d

Andy you have added the old!There is no reference to old in Julie's comment."it seems the same group of grumpy men"

Ed Robinson ● 2339d

You re right but assume so am I 😊

Andy Pike ● 2339d

Be fair, Mr Pike, julie is right about "from a certain political persuasion". I find it hard to tell you and Richard Carter apart some days. Let us hope that she can be a fresh new broom to sweep the Forum clean. I'm all agog.

David Ainsworth ● 2339d

My god that's a comparison that I struggle with David and I expect Richard wont be too pleased either.

Andy Pike ● 2339d

Yeah but all we grumpy old men look alike, cardigans and stuff, don't we? Luckily julie is going to bring a fresh face and a different type of rhetoric. I didn't even know that what I spewed was rhetoric.

David Ainsworth ● 2339d

It's more dominated by grumpy women if you ask me. I can say that knowing I have made less than 1/100 times as many comments as certain female participants. Indeed I hardly ever comment. But don't get me wrong, I've nothing against a matriarchy from a gender perspective.Give it a new direction why not - enthuse us!

Michael Winstanley ● 2339d

Breath should not be held.

David Ainsworth ● 2339d

Careful David, you might be  construed as one of the grumpy old men who contributes to the forum. lol.

Lucille Grant ● 2339d

David, you are now proving Julie's point, old or not.

Lucille Grant ● 2339d

Welcome Julie.  You are so right but expect to get flamed for saying so.  I do try to break the trend, as do a few other female contributors, but please join us and help to shake it up!

Sue Hammond ● 2339d

But I was a fresh face once.

David Ainsworth ● 2338d

How about NO arguments!

Mark Phillips ● 2338d

"How about NO arguments!"Fair enough. Can't argue with that.

David Ainsworth ● 2338d

Weren't we all!

Lucille Grant ● 2338d

"How about NO arguments!""Fair enough. Can't argue with that."Yes we can!

Sue Hammond ● 2338d

I think Julie is right. Many of the postings do have a ring of  "disgusted of Tonbridge Wells" - although obviously disgusted of Putney - by grumpy persons; presumably from across the gender spectrum? I suspect many are from the senior category as they probably have the most time to spend setting the world to right - particularly at the moment: the pubs, coffee houses and other entertainments are shut, and the Olympia and ExCel centres have been requestioned for other purposes, plus there's a limit to how many Zoom conferences one can attend! (Other teleconference facilities are available.) It's interesting that with all this armchair expertise the world's in such a mess 🙁 

Michael Ixer ● 2338d

got flamed for going to Pret, reminded to use independent coffee shops when I complained about joggers on the pavements not social distancing.....made me laugh !

Penelope Becker ● 2338d

The problem with this forum is it’s dominated by people who just want to complain.  It’s always  ‘stop’ this or ‘anti-‘ that.  We are fortunate enough to live in wonderful Putney and there is so much to love - not least the amazing and diverse range of people who live here.  Yet this forum is dominated by the angry and the outraged, as though we’re living in some corner of hell!  If things make you so miserable be ‘for’ something.  Get off your backsides and do something positive - start a campaign; stand for election; go and meet the people or institutions that you dislike in an effort to understand.  Anything - just don’t sit behind a keyboard and moan cos nothing will change and you’ll just drag others down. We have some brilliant examples of wonderful people on this forum.  Maxine is always positive and optimistic.  Matt campaigns and takes action for a world he believes in.  Lucille is always polite and respectful...and there are many, many others.  If anyone wants the forum to change, then I’d suggest we start by being kinder, more respectful of others views and generally more positive.

Craig Fordham ● 2338d

Thank you Craig. I'm just polishing my halo 😅 you make some valid points.

Lucille Grant ● 2338d

Really?  What's to stop anybody commenting on this forum?  Are we really living in the snowflake generation, say what you want, who cares if anyone disagrees.Always useful to ask on here for help with household, building, child care etc.  Go for it!!

Bunny Payne ● 2338d

I have been looking at posts the last few weeks and have noticed MW, DA, MI, ED, RC, JC and JH could all honestly be the same person.Quite a homogeneous group of men. Makes for a very bland discussion.

Julie Goodyear ● 2338d

At least DA has a really wicked sense of humour.  The one thing I really appreciate.

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2338d

Damn! That bot generating those posts needs more work ...

Michael Ixer ● 2338d

Homogeneity is perfectly legal these days and it really isn't on any more to persecute people for it.

Michael Winstanley ● 2338d

Who is going to tell Andy?

Ed Robinson ● 2338d

Grumpy, moi?

Jonathan Callaway ● 2338d

I'm not quite sure what it is you're objecting to, Julie: is it that the views expressed are homogeneous (if so, that's news to me)? That they are expressed by men? Or that you disagree with those views?Whichever it is (or even if it's all three) the answer is simple: this is an open forum, and if you don't like what's being written, let's have your views. That way, instead of simply complaining, you can start a debate. Over to you.

Richard Carter ● 2338d

Staring down the unapologetic barrel of misandry. Makes a change I suppose.

Freddie Francis ● 2338d

Julie Goodyear? Sounds familiar. Oh hang on... didn’t you used to be on Corrie? Paul Game, is that you old boy?

Freddie Francis ● 2338d

I was waiting for someone to post that.  What took (you) so long?

Sue Hammond ● 2338d

Ms Goodyear,Though you may be right that it is men who seem to predominate on this Forum, you must be aware that the dominant contributor is a Ms Hammond.She seems to have views on every social and political issue; she starts the most number of threads about them; her views are strident, sometimes belligerent, certainly expressed with pugnacity; her language forthright often verging on the crude and personally insulting; her political persuasion, not necessarily her Party affiliation, made very clear.She seems to regard the Forum as her personal soapbox. I fear you are displaying misandry !!

John Hawkes ● 2334d

Plenty of Grumpy Women also!

Vic Condon ● 2334d

I totally agree, when I joined this forum it was mostly about Putney-related articles, or events or local news. Now it's just a political nonsense storm that mostly has nothing to do with Putney.

James Green ● 2334d

I agree - keep it local. Recent national political posts about  Brexit, Covid and anything in between have made it boring. There are other platforms to air these. Make this about sharing relevant community info and please be friendly!

Roy Robart ● 2334d

politics is about people else it is nothing, and Putney is no exception to that rule - roll on the discordant viewpoint I say, it can only engender change

Clifford Cowell ● 2334d