Have you changed since you've come to ATS?

I have, over the years, discovered that some people who purport to be insightful and informed, are just ignorance personified. The extent some people go to defend their worldview is worrying. It is particularly worrying that people seem to hold on to YouTube as a source of knowledge and research. ATS proves to me that some people will believe anything, regardless of the facts and evidence.

Ah well.

Regards

yeah, i didn't know there were so many whacko's in the world.

including me.

a reply to: onequestion

Yes, I've been on and off this for over a year now. I've grown since then for sure, hopefully everybody has.

Not to mention I grew a bit from experiences on the site and learned some things I never would have without it. Also got some opinions and styles from people that I dug, others not so much.

I've been impressed by ignorance and foolishness as well as how much I could relate to some posters style of thinking. It's nice to find people that are on the same page as me but at the same time have such interesting difference.

originally posted by: SaturnFX
Actually, I have become more skeptical. I came here pretty open to conspiracies, supernatural, aliens, etc...and figured this was the best place to get the best information on any said topics...and it is, don't get me wrong. ATS is leagues above pretty much any other place I checked online...
And I found the research done is often lacking, the people putting forth fairly outlandish claims often boil it down to they know some super truth that is backed by nothing significant and if anyone disagrees, they are sheep, etc.

So, I have grown far more skeptical in regards to accepting claims..which is a good thing I think. Skepticism allows you to filter out a whole bunch of crap and by that process, uncover the few actual gems...

So, cheers ATS.

This^^^ for me too. Big time.

a reply to: paraphi

discovered that some people who purport to be insightful and informed, are just ignorance personified. The extent some people go to defend their worldview is worrying. It is particularly worrying that people seem to hold on to YouTube as a source of knowledge and research. ATS proves to me that some people will believe anything, regardless of the facts and evidence.

In an effort not to just say the same things as other posters, I also agree with yours and have little more to add to your post or to the SaturnFX, OpinionatedB, and DrumsRFun posts.

Just putting my "vote" in on agreement to your replies.

Yes, I have changed a lot and I lost trust on my religion (Roman Catholic) after reading lots of topic about Vatican Church - Secret Archives (About Grey Aliens) and Alien Excavations under the Vatican Church and the Ancient Christian Paintings with UFOs Hovering with it...

My Most Intriguing topic

Grey Aliens and US Exchange Agreement for allowing Grey Aliens to Abduct Humans in exchange for the technology like (Stealth Technology) which happened on Area 51.

Grey Aliens and NAZI Agreement for the hovering craft (UFO) which made the NAZI stronger before.

Grey Aliens abduct Humans for their species to survive but they are suffering from a disease or something (That their Gene gets damage every time they create a clone of themselves so they needed to create a Grey Alien-Human Hybrid to survive)

And more from the ATS...

Have I changed since I joined?

I would like to think so, yes.

I remember that I was the type that was pretty gullible about a lot of things. The Alien/UFO Forum attracted me more than anything else. I couldn't stand the skeptics and enjoyed having rough conversations with them. Some members were seriously getting under my skin and there is one that I had to put on the ignore mode. The ignore button was a feature then. I believed most of everything I read as I had never learned that claims need facts to back them up. Simply put, I was a blind believer.

I have learned that instead of arguing with some members that really know their stuff, I should start reading their links that they would so happily shove down my throat.

Through some of the arrogance, I read links, started to learn that facts have to back up wild claims. I slowly, over the years, not only kept on doing this but followed suit. I would now consider myself a skeptic on a lot of topics.

Boards like the Debate Forum, the Research Forum and even the Short Stories Forum used to terrorize me. I was seeing the cream of the crop in there, members that I highly respected and that, truly, were very intimidating to me. But I joined them gradually, putting those fears aside and in the process have gained confidence and friends.

I also had a very short fuse when I joined. I was lucky as moderators have always been nice to me and have let me go even if I was borderline insulting towards other members at times. I have learned that civility and decorum goes a long way.

I was afraid and paranoid regarding ATS. Now I learned to love this site, to trust the staff and owners and love its members dearly, even if we agree or not.

Yes, I've changed. Most definitely.

a reply to: Destinyone

Des I always look forward to your responses... but this one has made me laugh harder than anything you've posted. Love the hat btw!!!

originally posted by: 2manyholes
a reply to: Destinyone

Des I always look forward to your responses... but this one has made me laugh harder than anything you've posted. Love the hat btw!!!

Thank you veddy veddy much. ATS has been veddy veddy goot to me

I had fun with last years tin foil hat contest. I learned to just relax and go with the tin foil flow. Watch for it to come around this year and get in on the fun.

Des

I have honestly learned to be even more skeptical and I also learned that skeptical is actually a good thing

There are certainly some conspiracies I believe in but IMO the vast amount of people who use the word 'awake' for clinging desperately to something that isn't even proof gets tiring after a while.

I came to ATS after searching the net regarding an incident I have personal knowledge of. After seeing how terribly wrong members were about that I came to realize exactly what I thought...I don't think anyone here (including me) has the answers and I believe the true conspiracies out there probably aren't even on our radars

However, I have found some areas and threads that are wonderful and I am working on sticking to those

so as far as changing...yes I am more skeptical now

a reply to: onequestion

Not really.. I changed before I came to ATS and this website sort of levelled me out a bit. It was reassuring to know I wasn't the only lunatic out there lol

a reply to: onequestion

i came here looking for the one that never got reported!

I have become very cynical and a total skeptic.

I hope i have grown though!

I'm not the same person I was when I joined, and I won't be the same person I am now when I leave.

There have definitely been some breathtaking threads that have impacted me on an intellectual and an emotional level, some of which motivated me to rethink my perspective on certain issues.

a reply to: Destinyone

I've learned to make and wear, high fashion tin foil hats.... - See more at:

Are you joking or not?

I have most definitely changed,and still am changing. I was very naive of the ways of the world and far too trusting of people. Even though since childhood I had interest in the paranormal,I never would have spoken about it to anyone. It was researching the Illuminatti that brought me here,and opened a door to a whole new world that I couldn't even fathom existed,nor would it ever let me return to my former life. Once you know certain things,you can't disregard them. They change you even if at first you aren't aware of it. I love the site,but for me it comes at a price. Occasionaly the information overload and doom porn upset the balance of positivity I need to keep my depression at bay. I can become overly fearful,paranoid,a sense of hopelessness about the future. I didn't have that before becoming a member. Part of gaining knowledge though is that you don't always read only what you want to read,and you have to take the negative with the positive. If I had to pinpoint the biggest change in me,it would be that I have used the information shared here to develope my own spirituality,my own political opinion,my own philosophy on life,and mostly how I want to live my life for years to come. Many see the topics here as just entertainment,or regurgitated mainstream. Not me. I can weed through it to find the seeds Iam looking for that I can apply to my life to make it better. That's the purpose of ATS to me,and that is how it continues to change me. Great thread idea,by the way.

*ATS made me left leaning(due to its heavily right leaning members).
*Trust in NASA went down a bit.
*Found out creationist are much bigger threat than i thought.
*Still skeptical about Aliens visiting us.
*Stop reading news and sometimes criticize their source.
*Took interest in 9/11, Iraq/Afghanistan occupation.
*learned real reasons for War other than "bringing freedom and democracy".

I've learned how damaging opinions are.

How small simple words can affect so many.

If anything, I've learned to be more tolerant of those with differing opinions.

a reply to: AccessDenied

Occasionaly the information overload and doom porn upset the balance of positivity I need

* raises hand...

Aye, Aye, me too !

When that happens (overwhelming doom porn catastrophe setting in) I take a break from ATS. Sometimes days, sometimes weeks and it happened a couple of times where I took a few months hiatus.

I think it's a good thing to take a break once in a while. I've noticed, over time, that a lot of members and Mods do the same.

It's a fun experience being on this forum.

I've learnt some great things. Read posts from some great minds, that would otherwise be left unknown.

I've also read about the evil, disgusting and greedy side to this world. It's given me knowledge that other media outlets wouldn't dare/dream of.

So in that respect, i haven't changed. But my outlook may just have.

And i hope it continues to do so! Every day is a school day.

a reply to: onequestion

Not really.

I take that back, I was a lot more trusting of government before I came here.