Smallpeeps is a stupid name...

...and I realize that. It's supposed to be a play on the term "little people" which is used to refer to to the poor and downtrodden of the world.

I wanted to pick a silly alias for ATS because I have picked so many over the years. I got my first computer a long time ago at age 11 and have been online since the days of FIDOnet, Renegade BBS software and 300 baud Commodore 64 modems. After a lifetime of picking cool psuedonyms like "Darth Aluminum" and "Idi0t_slayer" [those aren't real, I'm just proving that I can make up cool aliases. ], I just wanted to pick a simple, stupid name that would not impress anyone. So smallpeeps is it.

I registered right after the first of the year and just started posting about things that were on my mind. I'm probably a little more political than most. I am 32 so I don't know what generational terminology that places me in, but I think of myself as Generation Me, I guess.

After leaving the religious cult of my youth (and also my father, mother and sisters) I researched Atheism by reading all of Ayn Rand's books and other atheists. I found that Atheism is seductive, but it is usually connected to corporeal pursuits (materialism and sex) and so I found it to be fairly shallow. Who wants to live their whole life as an atheist? I prefer the Hindu idea of humbling ourselves before creation. The Hindus say that almighty God sometimes takes human form and comes down to dance in front of us, without us ever seeing Him for his divine nature. Why does God do this? We cannot know. I do know, however, that I have looked into other people's eyes and I have seen the very essence of what I consider to God, or God-like spirit. Belief in karma is far more harmonic with what my heart tells me. The heart is the dream-part of us. I never believed behavioralists like Skinner who say that man is a collection of ticks and conditioned reflexes. I do believe some of that, but at the core, we do have eternal souls, and none of these souls is beyond salvation. Salvation for each soul rests in its own hands.

Anyway, there are three things that really irritate me these days:

1: Nuclear War (and the acceptance of it)
2: Religious cults
3: Mistreatment of woman and children

...So on the occasions where I am bold or direct with people on ATS, it's usually in one of these three areas. I really have no political framework mentally. I vote as I wish and I consider myself a citizen of planet Earth. Earthlings is what we are. We aren't really Germans or Chinese or American. We are Earthlings.

Anyway, hello to all. My advice to new people here would be:

1: Post with the knowledge that your words are being carved into stone. (Search Yahoo for smallpeeps and you'll see what I mean...)

2: Remember that regardless of the ideas between you, there is always another human on the other side of the screen. They have feelings and their primary need, like most humans, is to be heard. Try to hear them.

3: Don't talk yourself into a corner. Pick the things that matter to you and try to phrase your points coherently.

Everyone rambles at times, particularly in this world of emails and typed communication. The thing I like best about ATS is when someone posts for the first time and is truly honest in that posting. Sure, your words aren't going to be perfect, but words don't matter anyway.

It's the courage it takes to post that impresses me most.

Here's hoping this collective work called ATS survives us all, eh?



[edit on 20-5-2005 by smallpeeps]

I gotta admit, the title of your thread got my attention.

I guess you know your way around here pretty well by now, so here's a belated
Welcome
to ATS

Thanks. I have wanted to start posting in the Introductions forum and welcome new people but I thought I should write one myself first.

Man that's some heavy stuff I wrote above. Who the heck will ever respond to all of that?

Here's a simpler question:

I have never seen a ghost or observed a spirit though I have sought out stories like this all my life. Why is that? What is the freaking problem with ghosts in that they avoid me?

Loved it...enjoy reading intelligent posts that actually contribute something worthwhile. I have been reading/lurking for over a year and finally got down to joining. Glad you are here and will be reading/following your posts with much enthuisiam. [sp]

Very nice post, A late welcome and Glad your here.

Being a newbie here myself, I was looking through the threads and got hooked by your title. I enjoyed what you had to say and I hope to see a lot more of your writing out there on ATS. Welcome, indeed!

Nice post.....your title caught my attention, thought you were going to request a name change! lol!

I see nothing wrong with "smallpeeps", I had pretty much made the 'little people' connection, as you explained, ( though I had also wondered if it was a reference to the 'wee people' of Irish legend.)

( I see what you mean about the Google search.....that's scary! )

Hiya sp, great title thread. Happy late late welcome to the boards, although you were here long before I was. Actually, I though your name was referring to those little chicken peeps one can get for easter, since there small anyway.

Don'tTreadOnMe: Thanks. I've seen you all over ATS and it's mods like you who keep this place balanced and who keep me coming back. Great work.

thamm1984: Don't bother reading my posts. They're all just propaganda. Seriously tho', I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by ATS. ATS is large, yes, but from what I understand, there are less than 10,000 people who post regularly. That's an average NBA basketball game attendance. If you've been to a game like that, you know you can look around and make out people's faces pretty easily. That's the image I keep in my head when I'm on ATS. I can't talk to everyone in the arena personally or know them, but when I grab the microphone, I can say something to make all of them think. That's all there is to it. Do not hold back and always try to make your point as clearly and simply as possible because not everyone in the arena is equally read or learned. Glad to have you here!

SpittinCobra: I have read and enjoyed your posts. You seem to be very concise and to the point and I respect that. Keep up the comments!

lightseeker: I have enjoyed your digital angel thread recently. I think that the microchip issue, though associated with 'kooks' by some, is one of the most important issues there is. Technology is a double edged sword that helps and harms. This chip thing would be the 'harming' edge of the "sword of technology". Please keep posting your great stuff!

frayed1: I am Irish, and so I do believe in Leprechauns. The hobbits in Indonesia are interesting, aren't they? I wonder if they had a pot 'o gold too? Welcome to ATS and thanks for your kind comments.

malakiem: Mal, I have read your posts with great interest. I particularly liked the quote you used in a recent post, "do not walk behind me, nor in front, but always walk besides me and be my friend". I don't think there could be a better philosophy for life. Welcome.


[edit on 5-6-2005 by smallpeeps]

fight the power... that,- sucks you in... Am I liberal enough?

I saw the thread title and I thought "uh oh" here comes some drama.

I was relieved to se it was of your own choosing.

I've noticed some of your posts so your not that new and since you know your way around I'll forego my usual canned intro and simply say welcome and keep up the good posting.
.