The Trouble With Tricksters

Hoaxes and Bull Dunk! Time Travelers, and other hoaxers annoy the living piss out of me. I hate the stories, they are so imaginative as to have been peeled off of some Sci Fi show. Which I think some of the inspiration for these hoaxes come from ( I swear, I remember some of em from Star Trek.)

Seriously, I think one day someone is going to use a lopsided donut para dimensional gateway stone he found in some dudes shed to travel back to our time, for the specific purpose of logging on ATS, and share the fact that they came from the future. It's like an eppisode of south park when Cartman telephoned himself from the future to stop himself from buying the Nintendo Wii. I bet you, if you timed the post with TV cable program listings you could find the show these guys have seen.

Fact is it's bull dunk, I can't believe members even post just to spoof the thread. I do it too sometimes. Sometimes you can't help it and you just simply have to have a go with the OP. (Im as guilty as many of you) but it must end. Say No to these threads. I don't have to list them even, I don't you know what these threads are.

If you can't tell already I am quite a fan of the ol Sci Fi shows. (probably just barely on this side from nerdy). I have yet to ever feel the need or desire to ever go to a convention. I would rather amputate my own limb, to get out of a bear trap, that, I willingly put on myself, than to go to a sci fi convention of any sort.

Yet the time traveler threads. and the other hoax threads, just get to me. and what else gets to me is the number of replies they get. Other well written things. (Not my own, I mean, common really, but the real well written threads that hold merit, that actually have a case) I love the Structured Debates in the Fight Club Pub. Those are interesting reads.

After the debate is done it's available for anyone to continue the discussion. Yet few ever do. The research into a debate is while more hurried, can yield great amounts of information about a subject.

Concocted hoaxes just infuriate me with the sheir amount of time is wasted on these threads by the original poster. Some this is the only thing they will ever say on this board. They stick to that thread like glue avoiding all others and bait and read and give you just enough details, often from the original post. (which you would think would help them keep the story straight) Oh no, on and on the lie grows...changes...morphs.

Till the blessed day it should stray too far from the original topic that it meets its well deserved end. The days like most threads are numbered from the second you hit the post new topic button below. Sadly even the greatest threads, one day it sinks, getting fewer and fewer replies. Until the day even the OP stops replying to the thread, and it ceases to be, dying not as a flash in a pan, but as an old friend would silently into the night.

For many a post it burns like a fire at camp, it either coals for quite a while, or is bright and flashy and dies all too soon.

Some never get that blessed spark that makes a thread breathe fire on the boards at all, these threads (many of which are mine) sink never to be disturbed again.

The fires ignited by the hoax threads however burn hot and fiery, especially when the hoax is finally confirmed and thus becomes a free for all thread where the op is largely immediately crucified verbally for even attempting such a disgraceful act on our beloved boards. (me included)

This is what I refer to as a hoax supernova. So many pages of our members feeding into this hoax and battling each other over finer points and the moderators having to step in to remove vicious or other off base comments. The pressure builds up without the fuel to sustain it and then it hits critical mass when the hoax is completely uncovered and BOOOM! So many people having spent that much time invested in a lie only to either, confirm or discover it is a lie. The rage and emotion some members have posted gets so bad that I have seen several warns on good members for them.

So what do I do? Well hell I don't know that many good conspiracies. The really good ones with concrete evidence and actual real valid points and counterpoints are usually above my head. Others I know just enough that I obviously know a little.

Ghosts are an interest of mine. I have worked at a haunted hotel and have experience in that. But it's limited. I don't go out chasing ghosts. (though that would be fun)

Aliens and UFO's I am still, on the fence. I want to believe. I do, but the evidence is surely lacking. Really, by now someone has got to know how to use a camcorder or camera. Cmon people

Critters and puff the magic dragon (oops I mean Cryptology & Mythical Beasts) Well you can see my belief in that one. Sorry.

Flying shiny things (Aircraft projects) I don't know anything about a plane except they are supposed to fly and apparently do this function pretty well. Sometimes, well most of the time, er yea. But go in there and you have to learn a second language. and I don't want to ask what that language is.

But the hoaxes and the attention to the hoaxers has got to stop people, It really has, I mean we cannot give them the attention that they crave, the ones you know are a hoax, leave them alone, you know it's complete BS, don't give it the time of day to respond to tell the op you don't buy it. I need to do this more myself. Let these threads die a quick and honor-less death.

Yea by the way who has been flagging these threads? My god! WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU FLAG THESE THREADS?!? you know its garbage. It has to be some of you that are in there, giving the OP a go in jest about the silliness of the idea. Some of you are flagging these threads. and giving the OP STARS to boot? Oh cmon now that's just adding insult to injury! Is this the gong show on this site all of a sudden. did I miss a U2U somewhere where flags are like gongs now? Is this the anti universe I stepped in?

I just don't get it everyone, I see people bitch and complain about this kind of stuff all the time. I just want to know WHY WHY on earth would we, yes we, allow ourselves to be let down like this? Why do we let ourselves get caught up in this junk? And not reply to those threads that hold merit and are well researched.

I don't want it anymore I don't want to see those time traveler hoaxes anymore. People, a time traveler has better things to do than to post on a message board. Your back in time. There are other things to do. We have to live here, your apparently on a Casandra complex mission to save us all, but were here in the now.

It truly saddens me to see our membership waste its time feeding these trolls of the Internet. Furthering the myth of the eternal September. (I think it was something about Usenet and Bill Gate's virginity, something like that, Skeptic Overlord, wrote something deep about it I don't know.)

It's our restraint people that can keep this board great and make it better. Its us the members. The admin, the moderators, the FSME, and the Conspiracy masters don't make this site, its every single one of us together that make this site. Your input into this site makes it for what it is. I know some people have issues with the state of this site, I know what people complain about. They want quality threads with informative original posts that leave much to be discussed. With a great thread headline and serious evidence that isn't on youtube, wikipedia, or other less than concrete information sources. We want the truth, we want the answers we seek!

Yet the problem? We the members are the problem, we can't stay out of these hoax threads to save our lives. We have to jab at the OP, giving him exactly what he wanted in the first place with the hoax. Heck for some of these people the tag of [HOAX] is like a badge of honor! And we as members gladly hand them that badge with all the fury and scoff-able laughable insults the terms and conditions allow us to hurl at the offending OP while we ourselves are equally and more so to blame!

We fail ourselves people with these hoax threads. We flag them, we star them and we post in them fueling the fire and thus making this site worse than it was. We say "Deny Ignorance" do we do it? these hoax and childish threads we feed into like candy and ignore the threads that matter and those that have well researched posts. Thought out, conceived with care and intent to deliver good information and spark meaningful debate and discussion.

We only do it to ourselves. We are to blame, the Administration and moderators didn't post the OP it was Joe blow teenager in mamas-basement WI seeing if he can get us to buy his garbage.

Do you know this is the only site I know of that has dedicated enemy sites against it? I mean seriously people, (this is for you long timers out there that have been here forever) It's grown, its become mainstream and that has people angry, should it? Not really, but it's a kind of an honor itself that other people feel so strongly about one site in particular they have made up their own site in protest!

This has been a long winded rant I know but I had to get some things off of my chest here. I see the hoax threads out there, I hate them as much as you all do, Stop posting in them and they will go away. Stop telling off the OP ignore the hoax and it will go away! Concentrate that time to those threads that hold loads of good discussion and debate. Those threads that are fun and entertaining. Those threads that bring people together sharing ideas and opinions and information in a way that in the history of mankind has not done before.

Keep ATS/BTS Beautiful, don't waste your posts, I guess I am trying to say. Really contribute to make this site better. It's great now but if we are to make it better we as members have to step up to the plate and really contribute to making this the most awesome site.

I cant give much in the way of a reply, but I gave you a star!!!

WOW, I read it not knowing how long it would be, and I was shocked as I kept reading how long it was LMAO. Now that is a rant!

Well said.

reply to post by whatukno


sup kno? could i have a link to a couple of these threads if you don't mind? i'm assuming the majority of these threads you're talking about are over at ats right? i'm gonna have to go get my browse on i guess.

[edit on 19-7-2008 by LordInfamous]

[edit on 19-7-2008 by LordInfamous]

WoW! Now that was passion Wukky!
I agree, there seems to be a lot of bridges missing trolls lately.
Schools out, and they are bored.
MUST NOT FEED TROLLS!

Ahhhhh Wuk, you just made my morning dude. LMAO! Jeez, I couldn't agree more.

And yes AD, some members just have to feed those schoolboy trolls. Why?, I ask you, Why? It's insane.

Sometimes I just sit back and LMAO when I read those...

"I'm a time traveler who has information to share about aliens eating people but I can't share it right now until I get 100 pages of 'can you share now', 'where did the op go', 'still waiting', '99 pages and nothing', 'please spill the beans', 'we will be patient', 'here, have 50 flags while we wait' " threads and the total ignorance of people posting in them.

My momma always told me "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". And jeez, that gets really hard to do sometimes. I've had to bite my tongue so hard it almost bleeds. But I refuse, REFUSE, to go along with or participate in those threads. Well, actually it's because I got fined once and I really don't want to kiss my points goodbye with another fine, I'll admit it....I like my points. I don't get any points at home. lol Anyway, what were we talking about.....oh yeah. And that fear of losing points keeps me from blasting those threads. Which really, I've been known to kill threads so I would actually be doing ATS a favor by posting in them and they should give me points for doing so. Following me? LMAO

Ok Wuk, thanks for making my day. This is a must read!

(couldn't have said it better herself) Rush

Wuk... just on rant in the rant room may plant seeds... but how ill it grow? I am sending you a U2U.

reply to post by eye open doors


EOD......are you talking in 'code' again? hehe

Rush

Perhaps we can all vow to ourselves not to feed these internet trolls. Don't post in their threads, don't aknowledge the obvious bull dunk in their claims. Just don't give them the attention they want.

From what I found this is the only way to kill an internet troll. We as members should do more to promote the good ideas and deny the ignorance of the bad ones.

eye open doors had a great idea to pledge to this using a thread that we could link in our signature lines too. Anyone else into this idea? Starve a Troll today.

I'm all for that Wukky.
I've had enough spam to last me awhile.

TROLLS

Awesome, grass roots awareness is the way to get the word out. All for starving the trolls.

*speaks in code*

++++++++++++^^^^^^^_^^_+++++++++++++++iufhkrugh++++

Code deciphered:
I'm cool with that. What do I do?

Rush

yes but who is watching out for these tricksters or are we just at their mercy?

reply to post by mrtonybo31


The point is, is to ignore them. Don't get involved with the thread. Don't post in hoax threads, don't aknowledge the hoax, don't get angry about the hoax, just ignore the hoax. Soon it will go away if we as members leave them be. Just let it die. That way we are not offended by the hoax threads anymore. Just deny ignorance. Hoax threads are among the most ignorant threads there are on any site.

We defeat the hoaxers if we don't give them what they want. They want attention, If we don't give it to them. They will go away. I suggested before concentrating on threads that are good and threads that are thought out. That way we can ignore the bad and reward the good.

Originally posted by whatukno
I suggested before concentrating on threads that are good and threads that are thought out.

Yeah, like my threads.

Hehe, ok....I couldn't resist. But I will resist.....those troll feeding threads.



Rush

(lightbulb goes off in head) You know, I could visit those little threads and post one of my Rush jokes and derail the thread. Could I then get immunity from "off topic and/or one line" warnings? I'm always thinking.)



[edit on 20-7-2008 by hsur2112]

reply to post by hsur2112


The problem with posting anything in hoax or bull dunk threads is it causes the thread to pop up to the top of the list again, giving people more time once again to write stuff and feed the troll. The only way that is effective at removing horrid threads is to completely ignore them and let them die their well deserved deaths never to be heard from again.

After the thread dies completely the troll will know that they have lost and go pester some other board somewhere. We as members must not let trolls ruin our board. We should constantly try and strive to uplift the good threads. Those threads that are well thought out. Those threads that we see and say, I might not agree with this, but least the OP took some time and respected all of our intellects enough to post some meaningful information about a subject.

You don't of course have to agree with the good threads to make them still good threads. You can disagree with the topic. Post your disagreements in a logical and profound way, argue your point in an adult manner and give the OP the respect they have given everyone else when they wrote the good topic.