ATS In Decline?

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

I would pay for the ability to have a homepage that's not filled with political and mud pit posts.

I've been a lurker since about 2007 or so.

During the Bush years, was ATS so pro-establishment as it is now?

a reply to: Nikola014

But, you're willingly choosing to ignore that there has been, and still going, a psychological warfare by the American agencies.

I can't ignore that which has not been proven to exist.

I am creating a false narrative about the radical left?

Yes. You are pushing a narrative using the correct terms and buzzwords. Right Wing propaganda spreads very easily and people pick it up very quickly.

Radical Left and the "Legacy" media are just two of the most recent.

They've been pushing a single narrative for the past year, and we still have got absolutely ZERO proof. 0. Nothing. So, all of that leads me to believe there's a hidden agenda behind it all. I am sorry you cannot see it. You should probably seek safe space on reddit...

That's not a false narrative. Trump and his people are being investigated, are they not? Whether or not collusion occurred, we shall find out. There is no hidden agenda behind that. It's actually a real thing.

And I don't need a safe space. I fell comfortable right here in ATS listening to people whine about being victims of the MSM and hidden agenda.

Plus, there's nothing victimly about it. I don't blame anyone for the way my life is. I am extremely happy about my life. Want to know why? Because I took control of it. I did not blame my president for intentionally colluding with sinister forces to destroy my life, and my country. I had better things to do.

Sure. You are curling up in a ball over hidden agenda, American agencies and fake narrative you and others created out of thin air about the Left.

You think you are a victim of many conspiracies of your own creation.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
I actually believe if the site owners wanted to quell the angst, they could simply prioritize it like the "general chit chat" forum so it would not be at the forefront. This would keep the knee jerk reactions to hit piece headlines down quite a bit, and force members to seek it out versus having it constantly in their faces. I have fallen "victim" to this many times.

Won't happen. Since the advent of UGC site owners are worried about the almighty click$ - not angst. UGC has single handedly destroyed this once great idea.

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: Nikola014

I think your post highlights one of the biggest problems we face when you mix conspiracy and political discussion. You and others think you are being brave soldiers in a fight against the MSM and Leftist narrative, but your conspiratorial mindset blinds you to the fact there is no MSM boogeman and there is no narrative.

It's not real. You guys made it up. In fact, you and others are pushing your own false narratives and it's comedy at it's finest.

ATS has become a place where conspiracy-minded Right Wingers can come hear the sharp reverberations off the walls of the echo chamber.

THAT raises a big problem with conspiracy AND politics...

Conspiracy folks LOVE to build a complicated web of information...

HOWEVER...they OFTEN will wilfully ignore ANY info that contradicts THEIR theories. If it doesnt confirm their BIASES, it gets tossed out.

Which FEEDS blind partisanship.

The right and left wings are attached to the same bird.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

The pendulum swings back and forth... but it spends most of its time in the middle....

originally posted by: icanteven
During the Bush years, was ATS so pro-establishment as it is now?

No, it was accused of being a left-wing shill site for not supporting the Bush Administration.

This whole paradigm is cyclical.

originally posted by: Painterz
a reply to: Nikola014


So look at that 'Left in Decline' thread.

You're telling me that's acceptable? It's a prime example of exactly what we're talking about here.

No that should not be acceptable.

originally posted by: DanteGaland

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: Nikola014

I think your post highlights one of the biggest problems we face when you mix conspiracy and political discussion. You and others think you are being brave soldiers in a fight against the MSM and Leftist narrative, but your conspiratorial mindset blinds you to the fact there is no MSM boogeman and there is no narrative.

It's not real. You guys made it up. In fact, you and others are pushing your own false narratives and it's comedy at it's finest.

ATS has become a place where conspiracy-minded Right Wingers can come hear the sharp reverberations off the walls of the echo chamber.

THAT raises a big problem with conspiracy AND politics...

Conspiracy folks LOVE to build a complicated web of information...

HOWEVER...they OFTEN will wilfully ignore ANY info that contradicts THEIR theories. If it doesnt confirm their BIASES, it gets tossed out.

Which FEEDS blind partisanship.

Exactly. It's very close-minded with a fear of anything that does not fit in the box they have created for themselves.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I agree with the OP!

Its just not fair that people disagree with my posts!

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: icanteven
During the Bush years, was ATS so pro-establishment as it is now?

No, it was accused of being a left-wing shill site for not supporting the Bush Administration.

This whole paradigm is cyclical.

Well, not really?

DUring the Bush years it was accused of being a left-wing shill site for the rare occasions when anybody said anything bad about Bush. During the Obama years, it was accused of being a left-wing shill site for the rare occasions anybody said anything good about Obama. And now in the Trump years... it seems the alt-right have taken over and they get to post neo-nazi claptrap like that 'The left in decline' thread that is active at the moment.

Not really cyclical as always having had a tendency towards the right, just that tendency in recent years has swung very far over to the far right.

originally posted by: Grambler
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I agree with the OP!

Its just not fair that people disagree with my posts!

The OP said nothing about disagreeing with posts.

originally posted by: Martin75
a reply to: JohnnyCanuck
So you are fine with the left wing propaganda? Gotcha

It's because they're black, isn't it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: icanteven
During the Bush years, was ATS so pro-establishment as it is now?

No, it was accused of being a left-wing shill site for not supporting the Bush Administration.

This whole paradigm is cyclical.

SORT OF.

The Obama years (EIGHT OF THEM) ... the trend SEEMED to shift radically right.

And NOW that the Republicans are in control of everything it's STILL very conservo-heavy.

The Pendulum DOSENT seem to be swinging back...

originally posted by: Grambler
www.abovetopsecret.com...
I agree with the OP!
Its just not fair that people disagree with my posts!

If nothing else, I'm delighted that you and so many others have stepped up to reinforce my point!

I'm just waiting (if it ALREADY hasn't happened)...

For the right-wingers to turn things AROUND and "claim" that ATS is too LIBERAL and that they themselves are the "oppressed MINORITY".

Or something.

LMFAO. Watch. It WILL happen.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck

originally posted by: Grambler
www.abovetopsecret.com...
I agree with the OP!
Its just not fair that people disagree with my posts!

If nothing else, I'm delighted that you and so many others have stepped up to reinforce my point!

What point?

You claim that "Simply stated, there is far too much trolling and hate-mongering going on, especially from the self-styled Right Wing where discussion would seem to have been replaced by the hurling of the feces".

Where have I done that?

Is me pointing out your racist thread hurling feces?

Is me poining out that every week we have these threads complain about how ATS is to right wing, only to be responded to by large numbers of non right wing people agrreing with you hurling feces?

The fact that my posts on this thread have illustrated you point, then it proves that you are overly sensitive and have not made a good point.

I suppose what you want is an echo chamber where you are free to be racist towards white people and bash people with comments such as their opinions are hurling feces while getting no one that disagrees with you.

Classic mindset of a person that has no argument. Hurl insults, and then play the poor victim.

Pl

originally posted by: MaestroMind

originally posted by: Painterz
a reply to: Nikola014


So look at that 'Left in Decline' thread.

You're telling me that's acceptable? It's a prime example of exactly what we're talking about here.

No that should not be acceptable.

That's probably why it was trashed as soon as staff was alerted to it. But what do I know?

I"ve been here for years. Because of a long and brutal illness for several years complete with another long rehab , I was gone for nearly 8 years. I was even a mod then , I think I have been afforded a unique perspective because of my long involuntary absence after a stint of working behind the scenes .

What I see is a worldwide firestorm reflected on the cave walls of A T S . To me it seems our species has lost a lot of its ability to feel empathy. This place is a scale model of the greater global angst .
Fear is in the very air we breathe. Our lives depend on making the right choices all the time , or so we feel. Ergo ,anyone who disagrees with our survival choices is a threat to be stomped into submission.
Stop and do short emotional check. In almost every human there is always a small kernel of doubt. It was this area of our mind , like a door slightly ajar., that allowed us to consider other points of view. Too many daily doses of fear have now slammed that door shut and we HAVE to be wholeheartedly against every other view. To do otherwise would endanger our own wellbeing along with the safety of those we love.
Such a mindset almost always leads to aggressive protectionism. ( I wasn't sure I could work an " ism " into this. but I did )
It seems as if this will never end, but it will.
It will end when we admit our fear of (maybe.) being responsible for some poltical disaster about to wipe out civilization. ( Cue MIB music)
There are plenty of worrisome things out there, but we can only do our best. And sadly enough, the world ends every day for somebody.
I'm non-christian , but Jesus was right about the other cheek thing. Just stop taking the bait. (Even fish figure that out.)

I hope everyone can slow down and remember that even tornadoes and blizzards eventually end.

a reply to: DanteGaland

That would probably be because you're not paying attention, and any evidence to the contrary is being ignored.

I've been here going on twelve years ((!!!)), and trust me when I say this conversation isn't even remotely original. Nor the accusations of right wing bias, or left wing bias. As has been pointed out innumerable times, both here and elsewhere, it's cyclical.

a reply to: Painterz

The rare occasions anything bad was said about Bush? What ATS were you on, again?? We have very different memories of those years...

As I said above, you're not paying attention if that's what you're seeing.