It's important to remember there are a number of "different ATSs." That is to say, for example, there are political threads, there are religious threads, there are UFO threads, there are speculative threads about ancient civilizations. and so on. We have everything here from hardheaded number-crunching-based discussions on collateralized debt obligations to people plotting the supposed orbit of Planet Nibru on the dark side of the solar system. "Lotta strands. Lotta strands in the old duder's head," as a certain Mr. Lebowski once opined.

That's one of the things I love about this board, but when you have so many different topics attracting people of vastly different character, you are bound to see the sparks fly.

In my opinion, the mods do an excellent job of keeping things civil and meaningful. But another issue is that I imagine there are a lot of newer posters who have been drawn here in recent days because they no longer trust the MSM. The board and its ettiquite take a while to get used to. Many newcomers may be used to more "rough-and-tumble" Internet sandboxes that allow stronger language, personal insults, and various forms of fly-by-night posting. When they come here, it may take a while for them to "simmer down." Its up to those of us who care about the board to set the tone and keep things the way we want it to be by example.

I am open to debate. Yet, it should be respectful and courteous. Civility for some reason has been thrown out the window...and most debate regularly turns into a raucous, roiling, bare knuckle, bar room, fist fight on these boards.

It is too bad that there isn't a stupidity filter. There are so many absolutely brilliant posters, who do wonderful jobs of researching the information they share with us, and also seem to have a cadre of followers, who will frost the cake with intelligent questions, and help make the whole post an enlightening forte of excellence.

Some do it because they are natural educators, and want to entertain us with very cool information. They make learning fun.
Others, are in for the stars! Anything will do, as long as they amass stars. These posts, are usually titillating, provocative and anti-something or someone. Anything "Nazi" also works well.

There are too many idiots who love to post idiotic remarks, and argue for the sake of arguments. Nothing more. We have all seen this happen to very good discussions, where some one will jump in, and lay a huge steaming vernacular turd on the board. There is no reason for it, other than to be a trouble maker. They'll call someone a name, make a rude remark about their intelligence, call the information false, fake, or have their rabid ATS cliques gang up, and take on one or more individuals, like a pack of mad dogs after a single bowl of Gravy Train.

I have often been totally disgusted watching some of the finer blogs be taken down into the open sewer pit...of total moron bull---t!

Too many dopers, drunks, and other substance abusers sit here, and offer up their whacked profundities...thinking we're impressed. Too many religious zealots, and haters look for any opportunity to stir trouble. Too many God doubters, and haters, want to crucify anyone who has faith in anything other than money or wealth. Too many God-haters, want to denounce the divine with vile vitriol, and challenges to the faithful. "Prove GOD exists!" is their drawn sword of hate pointed towards you. I say; "Prove God does not exist, and I might then pay attention...until then, go away!"

I think many intelligent posters, have basically given up. They have lost interest, and feel there is no point in suffering fools. They take their knowledge, and share it with others, off post, who show they are genuinely intrigued. ATS' quality of posts suffers as a result.

The debunkers and trouble makers are ruining the ATS educational playground with their constant tags. The place is beginning to look like a blighted area. I wish it weren't so. But, everyone is noticing it! I don't even visit as much as I used to. It is now down to a couple times a month.
Broadcast television is nothing but crap, and now alternatives like ATS/BTS are turning into mind goo as well.

I hope the tread reverses soon. I really enjoy cool factual information! Or the very least, something to make me think deeply and rethink old paradigms and beliefs. That is what becoming enlightened is about ...

I've noticed this too. I do not get to ATS much in the fall, but I swing by nowandthen. I think ATS has its mood swings. People come and go and the tone changes.

Hang in there.

By the way, was there a new thread about D4rK N1ghtes? I did a search and this was the only thread to come up. I followed that material back when, and I would love to know if there has been an update. Thanks.

I feel that ATS is quite possibly the most dangerous website on the internet.

Its one thing to say "Is this an alien craft?" and its another to say "where all going to die, build underground bunkers".

There are so so many people who are weak minded and easily influenced, who are preyed upon, this causes an extremely dangerous situation, because it borders on cultism and fanatics.

People do not realise this at all and are more then happy to accept the way things are, but if your son and daughter went to a religious fanatics house every day all day, i'm sure you'd become concerned and this is the same thing with the wild and highly speculative threads.

The mods in my opinion are just not strict enough, they need to monitor the "highly speculative" sub forums with a pinch of common sense and heavily moderate threads that post wild and highly influencing topics.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to say the "i'm a lizard alien, ask me questions" threads shouldn't be stopped, just watched extremely closely and moderated.

But one thing I'm sick to the back teeth of, is the proof threads!!!!!!!!

Proof of xyz!!

Then they don't post anything resembling proof. For the love of god, when you post proof in your title, you need to be held accountable for it.

Originally posted by LiveForever8

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What a shame that people who log onto a thread a little (too) late, find certain offtopic comments deleted by moderators, while the replies to the deleted comment remain intact. It becomes especially intruiging when a deleted post has received so many stars!! I am dying to know what whas in the above post..!

Originally posted by captiva
I have been a willing contributer to ATS and have learned so much in my nearly 2 years membership.

In the last 2 months I have noted an increase in what some call debunkers which has culminated in a lack of courtesy and downride rudeness in the posts since Thursday and the Norway spiral.

I note also that denying ignorance is being used as a banner when ideas dont agree with some posters. This is not the ATS I know, or have known.

Sure, some ideas are off the wall, heck Im privy to some of my own, but like many others in here I would not take kindly to remarks such as " go light your bong" , and many other discouraging remarks being banded about these last few days.

Maybe we are closer to finding out the truth about the spiral, the mothership and D4rK N1ghtes prophesy, as Ive also noted some of those being rude seem to have joined the membership today, yesterday just in time to derail and debunk some realy important threads.

Some things to remember. Ignore those who try to anger you, stay on track in the threads and use your brain while in debate, not your venom.

There is an "Ignore" option. Use it if need be and dont get caught up in the mish-mash of diffirent derailing tactics.

I personally feel that we are close to a breakthrough in some realy important topics that have been raised time and time again in the last 6 months. Please remember why we joined this freedom of information movement that is ATS and let others ideas contribute to your own. Everyone has something to offer and we all have something to learn.

Respects

[edit on 12-12-2009 by captiva]

If you really think there's gonna be a "breakthrough" any time soon you have been here long enough... maybe refutations are coming more quickly than they used to, but this place has ALWAYS taken a VERY sceptical eye on almost everything.

I think you probably need to just sack up.

Ok. So we start a thread complaining about debunkers and rudeness. Well I agree that rudeness is very counter-productive and should not be tolerated. BUT.... When you start a post about spirals, motherships and prophecy, someone is bound to try and disprove it. This mission statement of Deny Ignorance is just that....

Dont get your feelers all hurt when someone gives thier opinion on what the heck they think is up with these issues. Just my 2 cents.

I would suggest to everyone here not to get so worked up about something you read in a public forum on the internet...until you are sure that what you are reading/watching is actually real. And so far I havent seen 100 percent proof on any aliens, prophecy, spirals, lizard men, vampire, zombie, bigfeets or anything else.

There is a reason that the general public believe that people like us are sitting around in our underwear wearing tin-foil hats and chanting to quartz crystal shrines... Because people get so passionate about subjects that are questionable to reason, logic and welll...reality..

Hope this doesnt offend anyone.. Again I am here, a member, reading all the stuff daily following links to hopefully "burn my box" so to speak. But lets get real for a second. The MAJORITY of the world thinks we are all crazies! Deal with it!

I wrote this on another forum and I thought it was apt to post it here aswell. I for one think its a good thing that other people can see what its all about.

The thing is these things are right infront of our eyes, but it takes a change of perception to see them for what they are

Pick a thread any POPULAR thread and tell me what you see.........

On page 1 you will find an interesting topic full of very informative data.

On page 2 you will find intrigued members asking the OP questions and relating experiences/knowledge

On page 3 you will find that the wolves have arrived and have started to circle their prey.

On page 4 you will find the pack leader going in for the kill, whilst the others watch from the sidelines, getting ready to join in when told to.

On Phage 5 onwards, All the wolves are feasting and the original data that the OP provided is lost.

I have been sitting on the sidelines for a while now therefore, I can relate to what is being said.

There is no doubt in my mind that this site is riddled with GROUPS of debunkers. These are people that are either paid or feel loyal to their country in order to dereail important topics so that the general public are not made aware of anything outside their remit.

I urge anyone to put this to the test and step aside and view this site from a distance, you will be suprised at what you see.

Yes ATS is a business but IMHO (from a view of sitting on the sidelines) it is much much more than that.

Edit: Structure






[edit on 14-12-2009 by franspeakfree]

I got someone adding me as a foe, because I said to someone jokingly and sarcastically that what he had replied to had already been said

Well, I'm going to post this same exact response on the numerous threads that have come up the last couple of days regarding the integrity of ATS.

These are some ideas that I think if the mindful, considerate, and intelligent ATSers adhere to, we can really restore ATS to what it once was. They are:

1. Preview your post before you hit reply. This will give you the opportunity to see your post more from the perspective of a reader other than you. I've refrained from posting a number of responses after I have done this. (It also gives you a chance to make note of typing errors).

2. Just plain DON'T reply to someone who is being belligerent. If someone is being an arse in their response by calling people names, being disrespectful, rude, LOUD--in other words "Hey! Look at me! Look at me! I need attention and to take out my anger on others!"--there's really no need to respond AT ALL. If the person wants attention that bad and realizes that no one is giving them the time of day because of their approach I guarantee you they will rethink that approach and start being more respectful.

I hate to sound like Dr. Phil but, we teach people how to treat us. Don't teach these people that they will get attention by being rude and crass. Teach them that they will get attention if they are courteous and thoughtful. People come to ATS to "join in" not be "left out". They will most definitely change their tune if they are being left out because of their demeanor.

3. Regardless of who your replying to, if you clicked on the "Reply" button with extra oomph and fervor because you were just so angry about something the person you are replying to said, maybe you either shouldn't reply at all, or just wait a little bit until you calm down. Or, make a concerted effort to NOT let that anger come across in your post. If you do reply out of anger and let it come across in your post, you're almost guaranteeing that a slew of angry posts and thread derailment will happen. Others will start joining in the very heated debate and the cool headed people and those who have intelligent content to add will most likely move onto another thread thereby leaving the thread an empty shell.

One thing I find myself doing is constructing an angry response. It turns out lengthy and when I click "Preview" and read it, then realize just how irrational I sound, even though I decide NOT to post it, it really does feel good to at least get it out. Just think of it as saying all you need to say in a reply you didn't post.

4. To be extremely cliche: Always ask yourself as your partaking in a thread discussion if you want to be part of the problem (the reason for the degradation of ATS) of part of the solution (the reason that ATS is restored to what it once was).

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These suggestions apply to responses to a particular person. Not to the topic. Angry posts about a topic are understandable--such as if the topic is about a cover up, controversy, etc. However, responding to the OP or anyone else out of anger because they don't agree with you should be avoided.

I REALLY think that if the more respectful and intelligent members (or at least those who want to be viewed as such) adhere to these suggestions, the integrity of ATS will be restored.

I think the fact that ATS is becoming more mainstream (as far as the net goes) is really attracting a lot more people and unwanted attention from various factions/agencies. We can't give these people a leg to stand on.

We can't complain about what has happened to ATS if we don't all make an strong effort to BE THE EXAMPLE.