It's Not Me, It's Him!

I think some of the posts and replies on ATS are a great example of how people are overwhelmed by all of the tactics of the "Powers That Be". Our collective minds are cluttered by so much information, disinformation and especially -

triangulation: "You are mad at me because I did a bad thing!?...See that guy over there he did a really, really bad thing...Let's be mad at him together and maybe you will forget you were ever even mad at me to begin with...Oh yeah, and I'll just keep doing what I was doing in the first place that made you so mad!"

I tossed this out on another thread but got neither areement nor dissent. Any takers here? It was a good thread gone bad with ramblings and tangents. Focus People! Any ideas or opinions about this tactic?

I am not really sure how you want this approached, but, yeah, I am quite familiar with the tactic you are talking about. I used to us eit myself when I was a child.

Whether or not the powers that be are doing this, I don't know. Most likely they are. It is a method that many people, if not all, use to get on someone's "good side." "Hey, let's not fight. You hate this person or group, and so do I."

Well, originally I was astounded by some ATS member's complete inability to stay on topic within a thread. Many threads start on one topic and end up on something completely different and only slightly relevant. Some end in accusations, finger-pointing and generally snarkiness with the original statement, question or problem not even thoroughly brought to a conclusion or concensus - Triangulation.

It seems to me that more than a few posters on ATS jump into threads with an agenda and not necessarily a quest for truth, information or to deny ignorance. I find this interesting because "an agenda" is exactly what most skeptics accuse the "Powers That Be" of having.

I thought for a while about why this happens on ATS, where many members would consider themselves intelligent, broad-minded and/or aware. I came to only a few conclusions:

1) ATS does not exist in a vacuum and must neccessarily reflect in its posts and threads the programming that occurs in society at large.

2) ATS minds are overwhelmed with information and disinformation fed to them by the main stream media and the internet - they can't think clearly enough to focus on specific issues.

3) Some members have a big agenda or specific agenda and their only reason for logging onto ATS is to promote it

4) Some members are engaged in disinformation

5) Some members are not very smart


Truly no offense intended, just an analysis.

I am also wondering more about Triangulation as a tactic of control. What are its origins? Any examples of how it has been famously used in the past? How is it being used now (specific topics).

I wish more people would join this thread. I find it hard to believe that most ATS members don't have an opinion about this.

Jack, I would say that the reason for what you are talking about is a combination of the first four things you mentioned. As far as the last, to be honest, I haven't ever come across a group of people as intelligent as those that I have encountered here. So, that's not even on the table, from what I can tell.

Well, you did say some didn't you? On second thought, sure, I figure there are some people who post here who are "not very smart." However, with the way that ATS is designed, those people tend to get weeded out here. If you stay here long enough, you will see what I mean. They tend to get banned from the site.



[edit on 17-8-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Well when you think about it, you'll realize that the majority of posters to ATS this time of year are bored teenagers out of school who are easily distracted.

reply to post by kosmicjack


Also,Jack.

What often happens is that posters tend to reply, I know I do, to different comments by posters. This often causes threads to become derailed many times. I catch myself doing it often. The thread will be about one subject, and I'll catch myself talking about something that isn't even related. It's irritating, but it happens.

I agree that the vast majority of ATS members are very smart. Some are mind-blowingly smart. I've certainly had to re-assess my opinions and beliefs since finding ATS. And - (gasp!) I've had to look stuff up just to understand more fully what some threads are talking about!

Jack, I know you didn't mean to be offensive. You are just trying to get discussion started. What you are asking has merit, because there is a lot of thread derailment. Like I said, I think that much of it is due to a combination of some of the things you mentioned.

Everyone has an agenda. A person who says they don't is either lying or not smart enough to have one. I don't know of anyone who doesn't have some ideological goal or agenda.

[edit on 17-8-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Regarding agendas, what you said is very astute. Anytime we put our fingers to the keyboard to post an opinion or steer a thread it is essentially just a way of marketing our own agenda.

Regarding triangulation, I have often thought about its use in the "War on Terror". We have been so conditioned by warnings and alerts (that never pan out!) to be scared of the next big thing (read ATS hot topics) that we are not looking within our own country to see what is really going on. Patriot Act, Executive Orders, etc. Or we are focused on the lastest horrific crime in some city that has no bearing to where we live. Or toys from China.

I'm not saying that Terrorism is not a threat or toys shouldn't be safe. But an inportant question to ask ourselves is "Who wants us to focus on it and what to they have to gain by distracting us?"

Kosmo, you actually bring up an interesting topic. Albeit this is off topic, I will say it does seem that the powers that be do want to keep us preoccupied with things other than what is taking place in our own backyard.

Hard to believe more ATS members don't have an opinion about triangulation as a tactic. And/or its use by the "Powers That Be" and the main-stream media. Or special interest groups.

Especially given the attempted manipulation of the 9/11 forum. Go mods!