I lurk and I post whenever there is something that I can add to a topic that I am knowledgeable enough about to post on..... There are a lot of intelligent people here and a lot of them are as insane as I am and I have been certified. There are a lot of intelligent people that are totally misinformed that can argue very well.

I'm a lurker here, and a member elsewhere. This site used to be the place to find hot news items, but now its so flooded with everyone copying the same things in other sites that nothing new is presented. So I only lurk a couple of times a week now...

Present

I read it all

and still end up with questions

I guess this is the perfect chance to move from observer to an active member of the site... in a way this topic kind of reflects the majority of people out there, always watching whats going on in the world but never acting until someone calls them out on it

I think I should say thanks to andolin, probably wouldn't have joined if it wasn't for this topic .

Okay, I'm here. Happy, now? Whatever.

I love it - either I post away on a topic that interests me and provide you all with fodder for snarks...OR, I just lurk offsides reading what interests me and still manage to ignite your irritation with even THAT benign activity. Is there anything in this grand universe we share that DOESN'T require your singular spotlight of opposition and contrarian public comments - or is there something in our economics that requires that every last soul that lands on a site be counted and bagged for your future use?

Oh, bother!

Eeyore

I've been a lurker for a little over 3 years. I visit this website about 2-3 times a week and read through a lot of the forums. I work as a security officer on the midnight shift so I have a lot of time to read. In the two years I've been a member I haven't posted much, only when I had something good to say. I do S&F threads and posts that I like so thats my little contribution to the forum.

Visiting this site every day (a few times)for 2 years now, signed up last year and actually made a few posts, but guess I like lurking a bit more then participating much(and get bashed).

OK, I took the bait and signed up.

Having rejected organized religion and realized the dishonesty of politics and mass media I have been trying to sharpen my critical thinking skills and to use them to peel away illogic and untruth.

I found ATS in my truth seeking adventure and thought at first it would be a gold mine of good information and help in understanding what's really going on around me.

Mostly, though I have been disappointed. I thought I would find a lot of people also seeking truth as objectively as possible. What I've found is a depressing number of kooks, loons and fanatics. Especially the religious fanatics. And most pointedly the "Christian" bible quoting end timers who try to find a reference to every news event in the book of Revelation and who descend into hellfire and Armeggedon rants. It probably gets to me so much because I'm a recovering patient of the same affliction.

New Age neo hippies , Unabomber wannabes, and John Birchers get in the way as well.

One has to wade through a lot of debris to find a clue to a germ of a valuable idea that might lead to better understanding and all this far out fakery doesn't help. All ideas, all claims, need to be submitted to rational examination and fact checking to the extent possible.

I don't post much on ATS mainly because I absolutely stink at debating. It seems as though 90% of the members on these forums have a Master's degree in everything political or conspiracy related. Plus, I only have 17 years of experience on this Earth compared to some of the older members.

-Will

I lurk as well. Guess I haven't joined to post my own topics because I haven't quite formulated my own ideas about many of the viewpoints shared on here regarding ETs, govt. conspiracies, etc. ATS is one of many sites I go to for "alternative news."

-Elepheagle