ATS - a future political tool?

I am a mild sherlockian with a deep passion for physics, an IQ of 130, and a knack for conspiracy investigation. When I joined ATS I did it because this beautiful site was different from the jungle of politically-biased news sources out there.

Now, one year later, I feel things changed. Instead of being an impartial observer to political madness, it seems ATS has become, or will become, a political tool itself.

Because I do not share the mass hatred against the US government, I was called a "loyalist", an "enemy sympathizer"; a pro-revolution member threatened to make us pacifists pay if we "happen to be in the line of fire when revolution will occur", and a pro-marxist member openly wrote that he wanted me to die. It seems that as time passes, ATS is becoming more and more polarized into one narrow band of the political spectrum, and everyone who is a black sheep is ignored at best, or threatened at worst.

Extrapolation of this movement points to only one future outcome: that ATS will become a tool for a new leftist political party, one which is planning on overthrowing the government (OTG, anyone?). Which would of course create chaos inside America, which would mean America's defences will be weak or disorganized, which means that rising superpowers such as China and Russia will win the upperhand - in the ideological war at best, in the nuclear war at worst -, which means that freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and basic physical safety will be luxuries of the elite only. But that's beside the point - the point is, I believe that ATS is heading towards a stronger and stronger political bias.

When I first came to ATS, I used to come across mysteries, secret plots and conspiracies from all around the world. But now, our attention is being focused on the US government exclusively, to the point of ignoring everything else. Jesse Ventura (no offence Jesse), Ben Swann - all prominent figures who seem to have successfully convinced ATS to polarize into a narrow band on the extreme red part of the political spectrum. As a conspiracy investigator, I deplore this narrow way of thinking. The true Hidden Hand is always hidden behind the curtain; it is beyond any countries. Consider a man hitting the world with a hammer. Hating the hammer won't lead us anywhere - but, figuring out who the master of the hammer is would actually be a much greater achievement.

Focusing on only one tiny part of the picture makes one ignore the rest of the picture. Similarly, focusing on only one tiny part of the Globe makes one ignore the rest of the Globe.

Simon Gray created a site where the people of the world can unite. Where pacifists and warriors and masons and christians and muslims and new agers and physicists and UFOlogists can meet, and share. The platform upon which they meet must remain impartial - otherwise bias appears, walls are built out of hatred, and people with different ideas are kept out.

Peace,


At Time's End,

Swan

It is just as likely that after a year, you yourself have changed. Your eyes have been opened.

Many people write that ATS has changed in this way and that way while the truth in most cases is that it is the member themselves that has undergone a profound change.

It is possible that while your conscious self tries to cling to your old beliefs, the sub-conscious is screaming at you to look at the facts / use your native intuition. Humans are generally very resistant to change. Some of the most successful humans in history were those able to embrace change and run with it.

I don't know if you want my advice but this is ATS so you are going to get it anyhow.

LOOK INWARD

Peace

P

originally posted by: pheonix358
Many people write that ATS has changed in this way and that way while the truth in most cases is that it is the member themselves that has undergone a profound change.

Um, I always have been opposed to war, a pacifist, and all that.

But ATS did change:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

All this... this wasn't there a year ago.

originally posted by: swanne

Extrapolation of this movement points to only one future outcome: that ATS will become a tool for a new leftist political party, one which is planning on overthrowing the government (OTG, anyone?).

Seeing as how half of the "ATS has changed" threads declare the outcome will be a rightist movement to overthrow the government I'm guessing these dueling at odds predictions mean things are just the same as they ever were around here.

a reply to: thisguyrighthere

Rightist? That can't be right. Everything right is currently being stomped down by mass media.

Plus, don't the Rightist already own the senate?

a reply to: swanne

Various ideologies and those who adhere to them has always been a feature at ATS. Summer is coming up and with that, we'll see a glut of new members many who are here to mainly troll for fun. It must be a rough time of year for the Mods.

It's all part of the bio-rhythm of the site the way I see it.

a reply to: swanne

I joined here in 2007, was lurking for many years before that. This place used to be amazing, a hub of intellectual discussion and it often contained some fun theories and conversations from a wide variety of people.

Now it just seems it's a pro-NRA gun-waving, militant and slightly rightwing hell-hole.

ATS - What happened to you?

Biased views and discrimination against liberals - right wing left wing, and what have you nonsense is affecting not only me, but various other ATS community members and it's hindering tolerance and acceptance

Political discrimination on ATS

Just a couple of examples from 2013. If you search without a specific year you'll find thread after thread of both lefries and righties absolutely convinced ATS has "changed" and the community and staff are "discriminating" against their ideology.

Been a constant theme for at least as long as I've been reading the site.

Wouldnt worry about the keyboard commandos and wannabe revolutionaries theyll never get off their fat lazy arses to get out of mummy and daddies basement much less overthrow any governments ..

American politics has long been a sideshow and will continue to be one ..

Things run in cycles in both the real world and on ats .. continue your search for truth and dont worry over the kiddies playing revolutionary in time they will grow out of it.

ATS is what you make of it, not what it makes you.

Nothing more, nothing less.

You control it. It is a big place. Get to know it more. You 'll find a place, trust me.

ATS is full of 'political tools'.
I sometimes suspect that some of them are paid for their work, although not well paid.

originally posted by: Expat888
Wouldnt worry about the keyboard commandos and wannabe revolutionaries theyll never get off their fat lazy arses to get out of mummy and daddies basement much less overthrow any governments ..

American politics has long been a sideshow and will continue to be one ..

Things run in cycles in both the real world and on ats .. continue your search for truth and dont worry over the kiddies playing revolutionary in time they will grow out of it.

LOL Your comment made me laugh, because in some ways it's true. However, I think something is in the air. I've never seen this before and I'm 42. People are talking in public openly about things that you wouldn't dare hear 10 years ago. I hear it everywhere I go.

I honestly believe that revolution/civil war is brewing. All the signs are there. How many of the fat warriors that are willing to stop playing Warcraft and come out of the basement is unknown, but I know many working stiffs who're ready. There's a lot of hate for the US gov and what they've become.

I think to just write it off would be a little naïve(no offense).

a reply to: swanne

ATS is still the premiere conspiracy site on the web.

You do realize that many (if not most) conspiracies involve the governments of the world.

But you're right, who knew that ATS would become the target of the Democratic Underground in trying to promote the Left or any political ideology for that matter.

ATS doesnt endorse the idea of "overthrowing the government". Like many other sites, ATS is a site driven by user content.

The conspiracy you're addressing, whether you know it or not, revolves around the idea that the government is implementing a "police state" and that it (government) seeks to further monopolize power and control.

Whether its the warrant-less spying on every citizen, the militarization of police or the merging of big business and government; more and more people from every political spectrum are confused and concerned.

originally posted by: Fylgje

originally posted by: Expat888
Wouldnt worry about the keyboard commandos and wannabe revolutionaries theyll never get off their fat lazy arses to get out of mummy and daddies basement much less overthrow any governments ..

American politics has long been a sideshow and will continue to be one ..

Things run in cycles in both the real world and on ats .. continue your search for truth and dont worry over the kiddies playing revolutionary in time they will grow out of it.

LOL Your comment made me laugh, because in some ways it's true. However, I think something is in the air. I've never seen this before and I'm 42. People are talking in public openly about things that you wouldn't dare hear 10 years ago. I hear it everywhere I go.

I honestly believe that revolution/civil war is brewing. All the signs are there. How many of the fat warriors that are willing to stop playing Warcraft and come out of the basement is unknown, but I know many working stiffs who're ready. There's a lot of hate for the US gov and what they've become.

I think to just write it off would be a little naïve(no offense).

at 71 Ive heard them say the same things over the past 50 years .. thus far its always the same not much changed other than the platforms the views are discussed on .. no offense taken other views are always welcomed and considered to get a better picture of whats going on around the world ..

To me it never really changes it just cycles over and over. The cycles revolve around some core spin that everything else relates too. Hatred/mistrust of government/authority figures/ the wealthy not to mention anyone who is at peace with them selves and the world around them. Anyone who portrays satisfaction in life is bombed with those that want to tell you how bad their lives are and how badly they need someone to blame. That is not just ATS but the culture of the millennium generation.

In some cases they have valid points as life, or the culture of life has changed the world over. That change began when the media started making news rather than report it. One might suggest a spiral galaxy if you will, with the core being the media and the spiraling arms are the discontent, in which, they thrive. Same thing at ATS as centers of hate and mistrust produce discussion that, as the case of the media, the site thrives. That is constant at ATS so anyone who sees changes-for better or worse-might not consider that the center of the Earth with it's geological turmoil is always based on confrontation, the same as life, and, of course, ATS.

Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable. The art in this case is discussion.

Perhaps you re beginning to feel your own arguments are not persuasive enough. That can be frustrating, I'm sure. I doubt people here would want to line up behind you simply because your views may reflect the status quo. Be the light, share the light. Of course if you yourself are not entirely convinced.... This is not a forum where complacency is going to be an easy sell.

originally posted by: swanne
I am a mild sherlockian with a deep passion for physics, an IQ of 130, and a knack for conspiracy investigation. When I joined ATS I did it because this beautiful site was different from the jungle of politically-biased news sources out there.

Now, one year later, I feel things changed. Instead of being an impartial observer to political madness, it seems ATS has become, or will become, a political tool itself.

Because I do not share the mass hatred against the US government, I was called a "loyalist", an "enemy sympathizer"; a pro-revolution member threatened to make us pacifists pay if we "happen to be in the line of fire when revolution will occur", and a pro-marxist member openly wrote that he wanted me to die. It seems that as time passes, ATS is becoming more and more polarized into one narrow band of the political spectrum, and everyone who is a black sheep is ignored at best, or threatened at worst.

Extrapolation of this movement points to only one future outcome: that ATS will become a tool for a new leftist political party, one which is planning on overthrowing the government (OTG, anyone?). Which would of course create chaos inside America, which would mean America's defences will be weak or disorganized, which means that rising superpowers such as China and Russia will win the upperhand - in the ideological war at best, in the nuclear war at worst -, which means that freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and basic physical safety will be luxuries of the elite only. But that's beside the point - the point is, I believe that ATS is heading towards a stronger and stronger political bias.

When I first came to ATS, I used to come across mysteries, secret plots and conspiracies from all around the world. But now, our attention is being focused on the US government exclusively, to the point of ignoring everything else. Jesse Ventura (no offence Jesse), Ben Swann - all prominent figures who seem to have successfully convinced ATS to polarize into a narrow band on the extreme red part of the political spectrum. As a conspiracy investigator, I deplore this narrow way of thinking. The true Hidden Hand is always hidden behind the curtain; it is beyond any countries. Consider a man hitting the world with a hammer. Hating the hammer won't lead us anywhere - but, figuring out who the master of the hammer is would actually be a much greater achievement.

Focusing on only one tiny part of the picture makes one ignore the rest of the picture. Similarly, focusing on only one tiny part of the Globe makes one ignore the rest of the Globe.

Simon Gray created a site where the people of the world can unite. Where pacifists and warriors and masons and christians and muslims and new agers and physicists and UFOlogists can meet, and share. The platform upon which they meet must remain impartial - otherwise bias appears, walls are built out of hatred, and people with different ideas are kept out.

Peace,


At Time's End,

Swan

Umm... where to begin? I guess a good place to start is by saying.............
Nicely put. Now I haven't been here long enough to feel ATS could be against us, now or if not now in the foreseeable future. However I do feel where you're coming from.

Focusing on pointing the finger at specific governments and or cultures is very ridiculous, and dangerous.

Anyways.... nice post. I dig your opinion on this. There's a lost of truth behind it.