The new AboveTopSecret.com Skunk Works Forum is now open for business!
If you've been listening to my Skeptic Overview podcasts (if not... why not?) you're probably already pretty clear on the concept for this new
forum, but some additional explanation is still due.
The ATS Back To Basics Campaign
This is a new initiative kicked off by this Skunk Works forum to have a dedicated place for ATS members to engage in speculative conspiracy theory
discussions of all topics, angles, and targets. Our regular ATS forums have long since evolved into excellent zones of critical thinking and analysis
that often either reveal or discredit many conspiracy theories. This attribute of ATS is certainly an important factor of our growth as we're the
largest "alternative topic" discussion board by a major factor.
However, the skeptical and often intense nature of our regular forums can often be an intimidating environment for members with conspiracy theories
based on more loosely connected tidbits of information (or even pure speculation) than is typically expected of posts in our main forums. Skeptical
analysis and fact checking is certainly a cornerstone in the art of "Denying Ignorance", however, as the wonderful Mr. Einstein once said,
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." The true denial of ignorance must also include and often embrace even the most fanciful
exaggerations of possibilities in order to understand and explore the upper limits of what might be possible.
The Skunk Works Forum Rules
As mentioned, this forum is for your most outlandish and extreme speculative conspiracy theory ideas. The intent is for like-minded members to engage
in collaborative discussions about these theories in an environment that embraces and encourages extreme thought.
We certainly do not want to discourage the involvement of
helpful critical analysis and skeptical thought, this will always be a very important
part of collaboration on ATS. However,
we will be strict in managing the tone and style of such exchanges. Please keep your critical
involvement to helpful focus on issues, facts, and analysis of possibilities,
and do not engage in disruptive character attacks, snipes, and
insults in any way. Any such activity will result in a warning and removal of your post.
The "back to basics" idea is a throw-back to the early days of ATS where there were only a handful of people engaged in these more speculative
exchanges. While it's very important that ATS maintain it's reputation as a place where logic, critical analysis and even skeptical thought are
applied to popular conspiracy theories, it's also important to embrace the ability to incubate new ideas and theories. The Skunk Works Forum is this
incubator for your theories and ideas.
Thank you, and have at it!
