My experience.

Hello.

(I am not necessarily relinquishing my membership but after you read my thread I may become inclined to do so.)

I was under the impression above top secret is a website dedicated to alternative news. During my brief membership I have discovered above top secret is more easily defined as a social website for people who feel uncomfortable on Facebook.

The main faults I have discovered within the above top secret community remains with the implied hierarchy.

If a member has “friends” the post or thread contributed by the member are better received than those of a newer member. If a new member argues or offends a popular member then the new member may be ostracized by the community. It happens more often than not.

It is what it is I’m confident most websites that invite user contribution are similar but in my mind it remains a disappointment.

For a website which garners such popularity I expected higher standards.

Take care.
I remain determined.

a reply to: highfromphoenix

You're right...

We all went through it.

It is very difficult to get noticed on such a big site.

If you want to get replies build a nice, well put together thread.

Hang in there...

You pretty much described how any social function works. Also comparing ATS to Facebook/CIAbook will never win you any friends.

a reply to: highfromphoenix

I was under the impression above top secret is a website dedicated to alternative news. During my brief membership I have discovered above top secret is more easily defined as a social website for people who feel uncomfortable on Facebook.

Alternative news is just an off shoot to the entertainment and amusement that ats has as its stock and trade; and selling Jeeps.

But there are some real intellects here among the trolls, Rush ditto heads, school children, preacher wannabees, pencil neck geeks, clowns, 40watts, derfs, doofus's, Proles, gotards, lip dingus, moon calves, and snooz turkeys.

Run afoul of the putz patrol and you may in fact find your self among the "people like you" contingent. That's a good thing!!!

a reply to: highfromphoenix

I have been here for eight years.

When I first joined, I had no clue how to even lay a post out with the correct format. Blocks of text without paragraph spacing, rambling run on sentences even longer than the ones which I use these days, and awestruck fumbling came together to make my contributions no where near as polished as they are at the moment.

I read, I learned, and I persevered. Anyone who has been here for a significant amount of time has done the same to one degree or another, and the process has a value all of its own. There is no replacement for experience. By that, I do not mean to suggest, nor do I believe that a new members posts are automatically going to be worth less than a new members posts. What I mean, is that new members tend to be more vitriolic, and less ready to debate. There is a Twitterishness to the contributions of some newer members, for a few months or so, and so although their points might be solid, they do not tend to delve as deeply as older members.

Of course, my particular attitude to this site, is that merit belongs where it is due, regardless of such things, however, I can understand that some might take a different view. Personally speaking, I have always enjoyed interacting with the broad range of members here, from the very freshest and newest, to the old hands. There is a great deal of value in engaging newer members in debate, some of which is related to their newness, the rawness of their delivery. Some of that value though, is in being able to pass on the things that we have all learned here over the years.

We must be determined to learn from, and offer knowledge to, new intake, otherwise the site will stagnate, and this place that we all know and love will become a duller affair than has been the case over the course of my time here. Such a thing would be a terrible occurrence to behold.

On a personal note, I like what you do, and would like to see you do it more around here. We would be the worse for your absence if you left.

Thank you.

I didn't expect to read a single reply.

So am I right or wrong? Who is to say?

Take care.

C U soon?

a reply to: highfromphoenix

If you post something of quality, you will get replies and a potential discussion of the issue.
I don't post a lot, I've been here for years and can still count my posts with my fingers, but when I have put something informative or unique together I seem to get an appropriate response.

Frankly, any other internet options are far worse, the folks here are only human but at least try to remain civil.

It looks like most of your posts have been in the off topic categories. Those see less traffic in general. Post in specific forums about issues people care about and you will see a stronger response.

I got two pages of conversation about Bobcats...it can't be that hard.

originally posted by: highfromphoenix
Thank you.

I didn't expect to read a single reply.

So am I right or wrong? Who is to say?

Take care.

C U soon?

As you will soon discover, it's more a matter of opinion and definition then right or wrong.

This effect you are seeing is common to the on-line world (and playgrounds) but people, say at a business mixer or activist gathering, school meeting generally don't bully newcomers. I think it's more a function of the relative anonymity of the internet. In real life/people environments you are accountable for what you say and are more likely to be curcumspect in what you say.