There are people with their own opinions are on ATS!!!

Well said. I recommend steering away from ATS for periods of time to avoid the negative hyping, it can get pretty draining don't you think?

star and flag.

The polarization of opinons on these forums can become very dramatic. Personally I try and follow the rule

"If you can't say anything nice dont' say anything at all"

I have started but never finished many replies following that rule.

There is an extremely large amount of overly paranoid individuals on here. It also seems that if you disagree with their OPINIONS (if it's about 9/11, aliens, Obama's birth, etc), then you're wrong and deserved to be called names.

This website lacks common sense and maturity. I only come on here these days strictly for entertainment....and to get updates on any UFO news...other than that, any "news" presented on here isn't credible. At all.

But it's alright, everyone on here thinks they're either a scientist, the messiah, an alien sent here to warn us about Obama being the antichrist, or Whatever. It's difficult to take anything on here seriously.


[edit on 21-7-2009 by GorehoundLarry]

A lot of what is said on this board is crap, and if we let people get away with twisted thinking it spreads like a virus. Too much fear also makes for a breakdown of sensibility.

Mostly, i think its the people who defend their stance with religious ignorance that are spreading dis info. There's usually a probably-accurate middle ground on any number of the issues discussed on ATS, and people are always trying to help more frantic members back to that ground.

The people who take, or at least take notice-of, good advice are the ones that don't deserve the implications of this thread. People who bark and get personal as soon as someone with an opposing view speaks up are the most unbelievable.

I agree with OP and couldn't have put it better myself.

You seem to have a different opinion to whatever is posted and you get slandered left right and centre.

Most times i come on here and its the prophecy/false flag attack/alien revelations of the month. All of which turn out never to happen.

Then there are usually 5 new threads with Americans tearing chunks out of each other over Obama's birth certificate.

I used to consider telling people about this website, but lately i've just decided not to. Some of the threads on the main page sometimes make me feel embarrassed to come on here. Not all the time but sometimes.

I suppose you are inevitably going to get some nuts amongst the people who just want to calmly discuss subjects, in a rational manner and not resort to sensationalism or personal attacks.

Be that as it may, i have to say this site has gone downhill. Don't get me wrong i am not saying it has totally lost its way, i do still come here, just that its just not what it once was in my personal opinion.

It's a conspiracy website. We're here to discuss possible conspiracies. Not to spread fear or severe paranoia, that's the job of Fox News and the Republican Party...not ATS.

reply to post by Frankidealist35




I said from day 1 when I first made threads here how stupid people were for making silly accusations that everyone were dis-info agents for disagreeing. I think that many on here have lost the plot altogether, and I'm not surprised many have decided to post on other boards more often than here now.

One example is a where a few called me an Israeli spy just because I posted some threads on Iranian protests. Very funny.

Originally posted by Kram09
I agree with OP and couldn't have put it better myself.

You seem to have a different opinion to whatever is posted and you get slandered left right and centre.

Most times i come on here and its the prophecy/false flag attack/alien revelations of the month. All of which turn out never to happen.

Then there are usually 5 new threads with Americans tearing chunks out of each other over Obama's birth certificate.

I used to consider telling people about this website, but lately i've just decided not to. Some of the threads on the main page sometimes make me feel embarrassed to come on here. Not all the time but sometimes.

I suppose you are inevitably going to get some nuts amongst the people who just want to calmly discuss subjects, in a rational manner and not resort to sensationalism or personal attacks.

Be that as it may, i have to say this site has gone downhill. Don't get me wrong i am not saying it has totally lost its way, i do still come here, just that its just not what it once was in my personal opinion.

Only very recently has it gone downhill though. Even 6 months ago topics were much more rational, but now the majority are cuckoo-bananas.

Maybe that's a conspiracy going on here

s and f'd


I absolutely loathe how much paranoia ravages this place, and yes, I'm sure we all have good intentions, but it's getting out of hand.

I have also noticed a denser group of people with terrible argumentative skills.

Someone will present fact, with thoughtful commentary, and the other side will be too prideful to say they're right, so they just say "no that's not true", having no additional evidence, they just reiterate the initial argument.


Also there's a huge surge of people who trust the submitter's reading comprehension and their source of new implicitly, rather than reading the article for themselves and basing their own opinion.



it's like someone stabbed the pursuit of the truth in the ass

[edit on 21-7-2009 by piddles]

reply to post by piddles


I think my favorite is when you say you disagree with something, and then someone else replies with "No, you're wrong."

and that'd be it.

I love it, lol.

Originally posted by piddles
I have also noticed a denser group of people with terrible argumentative skills.

Someone will present fact, with thoughtful commentary, and the other side will be too prideful to say they're right, so they just say "no that's not true", having no additional evidence, they just reiterate the initial argument.


Also there's a huge surge of people who trust the submitter's reading comprehension and their source of new implicitly, rather than reading the article for themselves and basing their own opinion.



it's like someone stabbed the pursuit of the truth in the ass

[edit on 21-7-2009 by piddles]

There is a culture of laziness, and people thinking they know everything and that it is beyond them to even check out certain pieces of evidence for which I have used to base some of my threads on.

I've seen many just deny the existence of this evidence and what I have logically explained and just repeat what they said originally, whilst I have asked them repeatedly to explain why they think differently.

Yet they reply with the same poor non-existant original argument, and finish with making accusations of me being a dis-info agent, without even making an attempt to convince others of what they believe.

Of course the ignorance culture has spread to others so those who just agree bolster their beliefs, yet none care to make a real case.

They then disappear and appear on new threads. I just keep thinking what is the point of these people, they don't provide anything.

And ats has become more of a laughing stock on some other science or sceptics forums. At first I thought that was just arrogance on their part, but I'm beginning to agree with them almost completely. I've read the comments along the lines of: "Abovetopsecret has the slogan deny ignorance, when it should be - we love ignorance ".


[edit on 21-7-2009 by john124]

I fully agree with the OP. The level of paranoia and hostility on ATS is unacceptable. It makes threads unreadable and promotes a huge amount of ignorance among the ATS population. You can't discuss anything any more. Most threads exist only for the two following types of posts-

"S & F !!! I agree completely!!! When will the sheeple open their eyes?"

or

"How can you say things like that? You're just a disinfo agent/blind believer!

I agree with the original poster. I'm very-very new to these forums. Before I signed up for an account, I was interested in the topics ATS had to offer. Once I started to get involved, I realize forumites have a wide range of age and educational backgrounds. Even though you present actual evidence to certain people, they abandon rationality for name calling. I found myself on a few occasions digressing. I'm a little saddened as to what has happened.

Within several of the threads about Obama, people who voted for Obama are calling anyone with an opposing opinion a racist. They completely ignore whole posts when they see, "I dislike Obama's policies..." Suddenly, you are a racist?!?

I thought I was walking into a forum, which intelligent individuals debate about controversial topics in a sophisticated manner. When it comes to the politic threads, people on both sides are frustrated. People have abandoned all rationality, and have replaced it with derogatory statements.

Regardless about what side of the coin you are on, we must all exercise a certain amount of respect. Even though someone may not like the person I previously elected, I'm not and have never called them a racist. Its bad posturing.

[edit on 21-7-2009 by Pathos]

Originally posted by Pathos
I agree with the original poster. I'm very-very new to these forums. Before I signed up for an account, I was interested in the topics ATS had to offer. Once I started to get involved, I realize forumites have a wide range of age and educational backgrounds. Even though you present actual evidence to certain people, they abandon rationality for name calling. I found myself on a few occasions digressing. I'm a little saddened as to what has happened.

This is a huge problem. ATS is a place where evidence runs a distant second to hardcore personal belief.

I will admit, however, that many time a poster's concept of "evidence" is a youtube video with some whacko sitting in front of the camera and just saying something the poster agrees with. But I remember back in the day when there were threads with nothing but technical examination of 9/11 images, reams of quotations showing where public officials have changed their story, and so on. Nobody puts effort in any more. There are way too many members on aTS that only want to promote their own personal religion, not duscuss anything. The inmates are starting to run the asylum...

reply to post by Frankidealist35


Fantastic, S&F .

Yup you are right, I've noticed the increase in this weird paranoia that is prevelant right now in the boards. It seems that you can't say two things without a group of people slamming you left right and center, and then validating themselves through their friends posts.

Perhaps there are "little" communities forming on ATS which will attempt to over throw one another. I certainly hope not. We are all on the same team here people, we simply debate the issues, but remember, we want the same things.

Peace and love ATS.

Like George Bush said: When we fight amongst ourselves, the terrorists win!.

True quote. Probably the smartest thing he's ever said...or read.

~Keeper

Guys, this site is a joke site.
Some people here take this site and it's content far too seriously.

I'm here for the laughs myself. All the crazy frothing at the mouth hacks trying to stir up a buzz over nostradamus and little green men.

lol

I'm just wasting time at my boring job. I thought that's what everyone was doing here. lol

reply to post by djusdjus


Back in the day ATS actually had good content with reasonable posts. But now, you're right, it's essentially a parody of what it once was.

I think in regards to any website, this one perhaps in particular it's always best to stick with George Carlin: "just think about how stupid the average guy is, and then realize half the population is dumber than that guy!"

Pure genius from a genius, but the point is that if you're looking for Socratic dialogue on this or any website for that matter (why do you think Twitter exists) you're in the wrong place.

The problem with ATS (I believe) is that it is trying to be a rational forum for discussions that require a dogmatic (irrational) belief system to gain traction. Most everything on ATS devolves into the kinds of discussions evolutionists have with creationists... evolutionists patiently lay out the astonishingly powerful fossil, chemical, and biological record to prove what is at it's heart a simple little theory and then creationists say... "nuh-uh" End of discussion.

Same with UFO's birthers, crop circles, 2012, aliens on my computer and camera anomalies on the moon. In most cases there's no real proof for it, and in many cases significant evidence against the ideas. But, if you say something thoughtful like: "at this point can we all agree wheat fields in England have become canvases for mathematically inclined jesters and put aside the whole crop circle/UFO nonsense?" people say.. nuh-uh.

Sigh, but it's still fun to read.

reply to post by Frankidealist35


Great post. It gets really tiring to see the polarized thinking that goes on in a lot of the discussions here.

Or maybe you're working for the CIA/NSA/NASA/NWO/Bilderbergers/Military/Aliens/Demons/Walmart trying to muddy the waters of our discussion by making a perfectly natural black and white cartoon world into a complex multi-textured full-color reality... You swine!