ATS...an emerging political force?

X, that's why this forum is different. Yes, we have many opinions, but they are actually discussed, and usually I feel that the people here are willing to at least consider that point of view before dismissing it. I have also found that if you have an idea, someone will enhance it or come up with something you didn't think of.

true we certainly are a intellectually productive forum, which is why i come here (i'm surrounded by idiots most of the time), i think not ALL ats members would be a productive influence in a politcal power however there would have to be a form of filtering to see who can and cant be an active political member... i wouldnt be but thats coz i'm not in the USA and ATS isnt big enough down under

...................................YET!

See windsofchange.net...

It covers the reason why the Dean compagin flopped. The thoughts discussed therein can easilly be expanded to ATS. Another reason why ATS will never amount to anything political is because Simon has explicitly forbidden any political activism (See the terms of service). Hmmm..... Although, realize that this is own by a Brit. The laws are probably a bit different there than here, in the US.

Thought is a free thing in most of the world, so don't discount it. Simon may not have known what he unleashed when he started this.

I disagree. I feel that ATS CAN be a political force in time.

With the increase of technology, many more things are becoming web based thus and growing importance on web community.

Starting the News arena was a step in the right direction. And regardless of political might, news platforms hold a certain power in America.

This is a multi-national forum with a huge poster cout and that can not be said of most sites.

Also due to the shear number of different viewpoints represented here, that will ensure ATS continued growth.

I can soon see your local ATS meetings with formal debates and even regional and national debates. That is the sign of significance.

I don't see why they wouldn't. If you look around the board, there are some awesome threads.
I can't find the thread now, but there was one newspaper that used ATS/ATSNN as a reference, in a story about the "true" color of mars .
I know that I, use a lot of "underground" (they are public knowledge, they just like to call themselves that)websites, to sniff out info about whats going on in the computer world community

we would end up having a civil ats war...

probably not so civil aswell..

Hence the "unnamed sources," "unconfirmed" or "inside officials tell us..."

ATS Lives!

Civil war is coming all over the place. Why not here?

Heh!!! We can't agree amongst ourselves the majority of the time.
Any attempt at getting into politics would rip this board apart. The problem with being a political entity is that you have to have a particular view. Everyone has to toe the party line or you have no party - it implodes. Factions would be created and it would be unhealthy for the forum. At the moment we have differences of opinion but they are confined to discussions. Maybe one or two people take their ideals out onto the street from here but they represent themselves and not ATS.

With the diverse amount of views and the differences between intellects, ATS has no place in politics other than discussing what they mean and what we can do to change them. But discussion only. Physically taking part in politics ourselves is something we have to do in our day to day life - not on the internet with a group of people who can't agree with each other most of the time.

Add to this the fact that ATS is an international board and our best place is sitting on the fence collectively but arguing individually.

Don't you think that political parties debate, within themselves, before their position is brought before legislature. It starts in caucus, voted on, then put forth to the whole party, then the legislature. Democracy baby.

Yes. But most people within a political party agree with each other on the broader issues.
And when people don't toe the line they normally get kicked out of the party.
And how can a website be compared to a democracy? The will of the people doesn't always matter. Simon has the ultimate power. It's a dictatorship, dude!!!

All hail the benevolent dictator.

One other thing ATS can be seen as is a guage of the publics interest and knowledge in seemingly "esoteric " subjects that are brought up and discussed here. In other words, a lot more more people use this forum to form and/or confirm suspicions and opinions they have than you might realize. for every one who posts, maybe 20 just read, but we ARE reading and thinking on it. We get past the fluff and disinfo- (oh yeah, there seems to be plenty of that sometimes), and say; "That makes sense ; I thought so!!" Don't be so quick to let anyone downplay the importance of a forum like this. There are millions of people who could eventually be influenced by the free exchanges of ideas here. Just my penny....

So are you saying that ATS may actually be influencing thing in a small way?