It's my suspicion that if people were receiving purely private posts re: political candidates, prophesised alien invasions, etc. and IF the medium
delivering these items of information was not inclusive of a forum or other feedback, then in all probability, people would dismiss those items not of
interest to them and would read only those that did.
It's to be suspected that the reason people feel compelled to respond (be that 'for' or 'against') is in an attempt to combat what they may well
believe to be propaganda/mind-control/deliberately misleading info/agenda existent in fora, chat, etc.
For example, millions of people read daily newspapers on public transport on their way to work, or in their office, in the park, etc. They may
totally disagree with the information. Yet few leap from their seat to oppose it, out loud. And the reverse, should they agree enthusiastically with
the information.
At most, someone in the train may nudge the person next to them and raise a mocking or impressed eyebrow, regarding something in the newspaper which
they may have opened more widely in order the other might see it.
There are publications which cater to those with fervent interest in UFOs etc. But generally speaking, those who purchase such publications don't
read them in public.
ATS has a huge number of posts daily dedicated to UFOs and aliens. It's one of the first things that strikes you when you're new to ATS.
If ATS were your primary source of news, you could be forgiven for believing UFOs and intergalactic aliens are proven fact and of vital importance in
life generally.
Not everyone who patronizes ATS is necessarily a believer in UFOs and aliens however. Maybe they're on the fence. Or perhaps they're
disbelievers.
When confronted with such a plethora of UFO/alien threads, many containing as they do prophecies/predictions, people may finally react testily in the
hope of restoring perspective, or perhaps in an attempt to persuade the credible to devote energy to their actual life in equal measure to that which
they're devoting to predicted arrival of UFO/aliens. And as the believers of UFOs/aliens are often quite strident in their claims, perhaps others
feel the need to respond equally energetically in attempted rebuttal ?
Generally speaking however, I agree with the sentiments expressed in your post
[edit on 22-10-2008 by Dock6]