ATS Troll or Enemy of Ignorance?

I find this very ineresting thus a s&f for the OP!

I have only been registered for a few days, but have lurked for months...and been truly entertained and in some cases enlightened.

With-in my first 10 posts or so, I was railed on...and in fact at least one was warned by a moderator. It was of no consequence to me, but I do understand that decorum must be maintained.

There is alot to be said for reading what others put forth...even if you have to read between the bad words to get their point. I have never been hurt in any way by the printed word, and my ego is big enough to stand the occasional deflation. In fact, I have been hurt far worse by a 10 oz. feral kitten than I have by anything someone has said about me or to me.

I strive to understand the backgrounds and mindsets of all that post here. I come here to ATS just to see if I need to change my mind about something. In time I will attempt to change other's minds, and I expect to learn from their resistance.

I will make bold statements because I don't have all the facts, and I will learn more about my subject from the members here than I could in months of research.

There is the occasional poster here that is just plain "out of line", and they generally get warned/removed/ganged up on or otherwise taken care of...and that too can be educational...

I'm a skeptic of everything, all the time. If I don't have hard proof in front of me (and not a youtube video) then I stay skeptical. Like my sig says, I'll never tell anyone that they're wrong, but I will air my point of view and if they really feel like that makes me a troll, well, maybe I should be living under a bridge.

I made a post yesterday in another thread, and this thread is a prime example of what I mentioned.

Know what I don't like? Anyone who presumes to have The Answer and is so sure about it, they smugly and arrogantly proceed to stifle further conversation. Be skeptical, that's fine. Up to the point it becomes personally insulting and is used as a tool to stop other people from having a discussion.

We're all seeking some version of truth, I hope. Not all of us are at equal points on the progression. Wouldn't it be more productive to lend a helping hand than slap someone down?

Hey we all believe what we believe. Ridiculing what we see as most preposterous does nothing but preach to the choir. If you can't do it in a way that furthers the discussion, please find another thread. You can help people find their own way sometimes, but you'll never get anywhere meaningful by insulting them.

If the goal is to rally your own personal band of acolytes into some sort of forum gang, that's a whole other deal. For those wanting a free and open discussion, the smug debunker is no better than the most delusional, or intentional, story spinner.

If someone really needs the truly ridiculous pointed out to them, then pointing it out will be of no benefit. Self proclaimed saviors on either side burn my butt. Make your point and move on, as I will do... right now. Because you either get it, or you don't.



[edit on 2/20/10 by MrDesolate]

reply to post by benpadiah


Phage is more than you can really grasp by reading just a few of his posts, and was more of an aquired taste for me. I now anxiously await his appearance on threads he deems appropriate, and are his expertise, which is fairly wide-ranging and impressive.
I was not a fan at first, as he has a succint style that at first seems dismissive. Couple that with his John Lithgow (Dick, Third Rock From The Sun) in full KGB regalia avatar, and it was easy for me to get the feeling that he was a tad bit overbearing and even bully-ish.
Obviously; I have grown to really appreciate his input, as almost all do, I think.

The "debunkers" and skeptics love to pretend that he's their king, but he actually offers useful information and answers, without ever resorting to name calling or other petty BS. He's quite an enigma.

reply to post by Dogdish


I don't believe I could have said it better if I were Phage himself!

Please send for this Phage, I believe I'll meet him (looks down nose at the butler....).



[edit on 20-2-2010 by 1SawSomeThings]

reply to post by 1SawSomeThings


LOL, thanks, I tried not to get too carried away.

Originally posted by 1SawSomeThings
I don't believe I could have said it better if I were Phage himself!

Please send for this Phage,

The Phage-god is angry with us, that is why he will not appear!

We must sacrifice ten virgins immediately to appease the almighty Phage-god!!

Hey, Masky-Mask, where are you anyway?

How DARE you create a thread this funny and interesting and then abandon ship!

reply to post by MajorDisaster


Wiki Phage

Phage The Untouchable

Or:

Phage Star Trek

And on Video:











[edit on 21-2-2010 by Dogdish]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c2d6d7514c8d.jpg[/atsimg]

Jesus for skeptic IMO.

reply to post by nophun




This has got to be the funniest thread in a long time. What's the significance of the baby dinosaur?

reply to post by MajorDisaster


Well, somebody's going to say it anyway, so...






Skeptilians.

reply to post by Mr Mask


Absolutely love the OP!!!!!!

[edit on 23-2-2010 by Dogdish]

[edit on 22-2-2010 by MajorDisaster]

reply to post by MajorDisaster


Well if I am going to start believing in jesus I might as well believe the world is 6000 years old and humans lived side by side with the dinosaurs.



Sidenote: BTS has awesome smileys

Hello all, here in BTS land!

I am sorry I have not been part of the discussion here since this thread opened, and I am here to thank everyone for their input and views that they have openly shared.

I did wish to participate in a fluffy discussion about "skeptics being wrongly accused of as being trolls"...but after the thread was sent to BTS I decided to sit back and just allow the thread to die.

You see, I didn't make this thread to be placed where "nonsense and chit-chat" get sent.

Now, agreed, that description is my personal view, and BTS is not a garbage dump for useless posts. But it is also not a place I intend to write for.



I will strive harder in the future to make my fluff more relevant and as worthy of ATS as all those "I am an alien" threads and those threads about 2012 being the end of the world.

Alas, I failed in bringing the real hard hitting conspiracy material and I will try again in my next inspired thread to "provide ATS worthy material" and not end up here on BTS.

Thank you to anyone who liked my artistic representation of the thread's subject.

Thank you to anyone who enjoyed the thread.

And thank to anyone that didn't agree with the thread but added their views anyways.

It was a fun time reading all the replies here, and there are so many that either made me laugh out loud or just sit back and consider the "other side" of things a little more deeply.

So thanks.

With that all said...I just don't type on BTS, nor do I subscribe to its nature of material.

Unfortunately, (to my chagrin) my work seems to be BTS material.

So, I shall work harder in the future to make my work here worthy of ATS and try not to disappoint by delivering a lower quality then I desire to share.

SOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooo!

See you all on ATS and thanks AGAIN for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

PS- Almost forgot...on topic!

ENDING THOUGHTS "ON TOPIC"

Skeptics with attitude are awesome if they can show a level of grace and civility. No one here wants total savages using vulgarity and/or violence to get any point across. But a skeptic with a huge stick combined with a gifted funny bone is the bread and butter of some people's ATS experience.

No one likes criminal behavior but criminals themselves. This thread doesn't call for the breaking of rules or the end to civil interaction. But a well-needed LOUD bark is no crime either.



[edit on 24-2-2010 by Mr Mask]

reply to post by Mr Mask


DuuuUUUuuude....
I don't think you're getting it.
The thoughts posted by the first two replies were the most valid and thought out:

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
LOL Mr Mask!

This is a very funny thread. I also love your image in the Op. I nearly keeled over when it loaded. Pure comedy gold!

The heart of your commentary is true - but like light and darkness, ATS is the success that it is largely due to the believer vs skeptic rivalry. I guess in some ways, we define each other... as much as we hate to admit it.

A skeptic wouldn't be a skeptic if it weren't for the goofy threads and snake oil salesmen... and a fool wouldn't be a fool if it weren't for the keen observations of the skeptic.

What a tangled web we weave....

S&F4U!

IRM

[edit on 19/2/10 by InfaRedMan]

and:

Originally posted by munkey66
The problem with the debunker/skeptic versus the believer may come down to the ability to use words well.

A well written piece with little evidence can shoot holes in a poorly written and nearly factual account with little or no one willing to raise their head in defence for the fear of being the next in line for the authors cross hairs.

another problem I see is it is easy for someone to become a disinfo agent so to speak

Initially they agree with most things written, sometimes starting their own threads to which they gain a following.
before long they throw little comments in here and there which agree with the majority, soon the worm turns and you start to see comments like, I am just waiting to hear what ******** has to say.

as much as I agree that we need skeptics, we also have to be aware of making a skeptic a forum super hero.

The entire first page of this thread is worth a re-read for that matter. It's full of ideas and questions that you left unanswered and unexplored. That's where this thread fell through on it's promise. You had the opportunity to prove yourself an enemy of ignorance, but ignored every chance to learn or inform.

The "enemies" you encounter here are just ideas you fail to consider before you post your proclamations. This is where a skeptic turns into a troll.

I stated in my first post "thank you for your well intentioned thread", and I believe it was, as are you.
I don't think you sway any opinions, however, with blanket debunking.

Originally posted by Dogdish


The entire first page of this thread is worth a re-read for that matter.

I re-read them more then once...they seemed to enjoy the OP and I was fully ready to discuss these interesting (and relevant) thoughts.

I agreed with much of what was said, including the "two sides of one coin" argument.

This doesn't change the fact that I do not wish to type in BTS.

It's full of ideas and questions that you left unanswered and unexplored. That's where this thread fell through on it's promise. You had the opportunity to prove yourself an enemy of ignorance, but ignored every chance to learn or inform.

The thread fell into BTS...that is not a venue I wish to write for.

I take considerable time and attention to what I create for ATS.

Due to my failure to produce ATS worthy material, I am stepping down from this thread.

In other words....the thread didn't fail...its creator did.

I will try my hardest in the future to deliver material as "outstanding" as all those nibiru posts, or those "I am an alien threads" that ARE worthy of ATS.

I dropped the ball in creating this one.

As for proving with a thread that I AM an actual enemy to ignorance...that is not something I need prove here. In fact, the thread was not about "me" being anything...it was about "skeptics often misjudged as trolls".

I prove myself in the "real world" where I do much to be a thorn in the belly of all ignorance in my way.

The "enemies" you encounter here are just ideas you fail to consider before you post your proclamations. This is where a skeptic turns into a troll.

Wrong...the enemies I encounter here, are scammers and hoaxers, liars and hucksters. There is no mistake in saying there is an unhealthy number of those around.

Those are my targets...those are my enemies.

Not some "mistake" in me being "closed minded" to the possibility of "tomfoolery".

I stated in my first post "thank you for your well intentioned thread", and I believe it was, as are you.

Thanks...I try to deliver content worthy of reading. I thought I had a winner here when I saw so many good responses and all the positive feedback.

I was wrong. It was simply BTS material....not my intention.

I don't think you sway any opinions, however, with blanket debunking.

Sigh...I don't think you read me enough if you think I only "blanket debunk".

Also, this thread was not a debunking in process (possibly why it is in BTS?), it was a cheer towards skeptics who have bark and bite AND good intentions/skill at bringing truth to the forefront with force.

If you expect perfect debunking or some great level of maturity from Mr Mask, I dear say you are reading the wrong thread.

Mr Mask makes fluff threads that boarder on the "meaningless" or "mundane".

I craft fluff articles for people who enjoy a less-serious read and a humorist's view.

No rule demands each post on ATS be the ground breaking news of tomorrow.

And I never set out to create a thread that does more then just "give a fun read".

Again, I will try harder to learn to create posts as worthy of ATS as all those threads on reptiles in our government or those threads about out of body experiences.

Until then, I shall be plotting my next thread with more attention to its content, in hopes to create something more suiting to ATS.



[edit on 24-2-2010 by Mr Mask]

reply to post by Mr Mask


Shake it off. You're not dead, so you're stronger.
You got 77 flags for this one thread alone. That's more than I'll ever see. You've got more friends, foes and threads than most on this thread.

I've seen a few threads lately "drop" into BTS. I think it's subject matter, not artistic excellence, so a thank you thread to your cohorts is a likely candidate for bandwidth thrift.

My opinion? Keep up the good "work". :bnghd: