Question for members who participate

reply to post by Blanca Rose


I still reply from time to time but read much more than post.

You will often see many flags but few posts, that would be the answer.

Most people dont have time to reply to all they wish to soak in.

Also, I am always working on potential new threads, they just take time and a good thread takes research.

reply to post by peterfromdk


Thanks for this reply. You go through a lot of work to participate, since English is not your first language.

Sadly, the grammar and spelling Nazi's can be pretty rough on this site!

Everybody please remember our foreign friends!

I read mostly, post now and then when something in a thread triggers my typing fingers, as for starting threads well when I have something to shout about I will.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by tomfrusso

No action is ever taken against a member account for any reasons other than what is stated in the Terms & Conditions. Overly-intense posters unable to participate in a collaborative and civil manner will very often mistake action against their ATS account as a staff disagreement with their opinions.

And I will back that up by saying that there have been many times that SO has instituted a policy that I have not agreed with or felt might be taken to the extreme and have stated my opinion as such and urged caution to not be heavy-handed in the interest of fairness.

And on at least one occasion (and maybe two), that particular statement was applauded by staff, despite being an opposing view. You could make the argument that I have placed SO on my friends list and this post means nothing. I will state it was because SO changed his mind on a decision against his better judgement after listening to the membership and had a private hearing by a counsel of representatives of the members to listen to points against his decision.

The decision in that particular case was to make any discussion of drugs a taboo and bannable offense. Even in cases where there was a conspiracy like with the CIA. And a forum was created with strict rules and was closed and removed by people not following those rules. And despite that, another new forum was created and remains.

So I can say without hesitation, that Bill will listen to reasonable arguments that are presented well and within the confines of the Terms and Conditions. And maybe even a few ideas that are not presented well and in a preferred manner, if they are reasonable. In fact SO himself applauded this post of mine that asks to not moderate T&C violations during that very import part of ATS so that members can go back a read everything as it happened without editing. So that current and future members could see the ideas and feelings that shaped this site, warts and all, during that timeframe and on that issue.

But tomfrusso, out of the 244 posts to your credit, I can see 243 listed. I admit that I have not checked them all to see what has been removed or marked as off topic, but it would seem to me that you are upset over something. Do you feel that site quality is lacking? That discussions of your interests not being discussed or not receiving the replies and attention that they should? Too many hidden gems, falling between the cracks? What do you suggest to fix the problem?

Edit for bbcode

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Ahabstar]

reply to post by Blanca Rose


Actually every day about twice I'll get halfway through typing a response and then just cancel it. Sometimes because I end up answering my own question, but generally because I know it won't be well received, or received incorrectly, giving others a disparate view of myself, which is not something anyone wants.
A lot of different kinds of people come to a place like this and post here, and generally any human viewpoint is antagonistic to any other. A lot of the reason I don't say things is because 80% of disagreeing responses (not just here, but in all human life) are simply for emotional defense, therefore angry and automatic. There's also the idea that anyone generally can't understand someone's viewpoint unless you've lived it yourself, at least for a minute, at least in your own head.
So if, for instance, a poster expresses the concept that no one ever deserves to be killed or even hit, ever for any reason... Well no other poster can really imagine such an existence, ergo they can't understand the viewpoint of those who live there every day.

Plus there's kind of a thing here on ATS specifically where you aren't supposed to post unless what you say is actually advancing the dialogue, and it's discouraged to just post "me too". Well, most people, until we hit our stride as adults, ARE "me too". That's what they do, that's what they know, so a lot of the time people probably aren't posting just because they have something new to say.
Hopefully I don't just sound whiny like "Why's everybody always picking on me?". But negative emotional expressions directed toward me do more damage to the person sending them than they do to me, so I think it's best I just try to avoid needlessly initiating them.

Originally posted by IceOwl


Actually every day about twice I'll get halfway through typing a response and then just cancel it. Sometimes because I end up answering my own question, but generally because I know it won't be well received, or received incorrectly, giving others a disparate view of myself, which is not something anyone wants.

Hopefully I don't just sound whiny like "Why's everybody always picking on me?". But negative emotional expressions directed toward me do more damage to the person sending them than they do to me, so I think it's best I just try to avoid needlessly initiating them.

I completely agree with this, so with that said, I can see why more people hesitate in some topics.

I don't post a lot due to lack of articulation, among other reasons. :-) I don't know how to put my thoughts or feelings into words that convey what I want to say accurately.

reply to post by Elentarri


Well thanks for stopping by, and I have not seen you before, and as far as articulation, you did great. I see you are sorta new.

My feelings are that this site is for everyone, and nobody should have to worry about being an Ernest Hemmingway!

Originally posted by XL5
Alot of times whats already said in a thread is what the poster that didn't post was going to say.
******SKIP******
I think alot of people spend their posting time reading 4 pages of stuff and realize what they wanted to say has been said already.

I will post when I have solid proof and understanding of something and know that my words mean something.

Exactly what I think and the way I post.

There are plenty of times I've read thru the first page of a post and "thought" I had something to add to the thread, but even if that thread was 10 or 12 pages long, I'd roll thru all those pages to see if what I wanted to say had been said already, and if it was, I'd just move on to another thread.

No use cluttering a thread up saying the same thing over and over again.

[edit on 5/20/2010 by Keyhole]

reply to post by Blanca Rose


I read more than I post.
Too many people post who have nothing to add to a thread or only post to insult the OP.

Honestly, i used to post a lot here. I did A LOT of work on tinwiki with wos and optimist, i made a sticky thread for H5N1 section and i did a couple of awesome research projects. but i belive in a old quote 'too much of a good thing is bad for you'. I spent too much time on here and ended up being sick of it, but since ATS rocks, its became my guilty pleasure haha, once a day i sign on to see whats going on.

this is my ATS retirement and hey young'un! i deserve it!!

haha, peace out folks

I think it's a similar situation on all sites, many read, only a few post. I think if you look across the big sites on the internet, there are a hardcore of people who post on lots of sites too. I often see the same people on sites I go to.

It's crazy to think sometimes how many people read those posts from the most prolific internet writers, it really does push a lot of power back to people, from the media.

Originally posted by time91
I agree with you, most threads and posts are by a fraction of the members. I don't have much to add, it would just be pathetic if you made a thread about lack of posting, and no one replied...

Actually, it would be ironic, about the lack of replies.

Pathetic is what is happening in this country.

Pathetic is also what is NOT happening in this country.

1. ATS is my homepage, and I always open my bookmarks in "open in all tabs"
windows. I work my way backward to ATS and finish my online session
here. Hence I am "online" but not active for quite a while.

2. I am a commentor generally and not an original poster.

3. I use ATS for breaking news, knowing that there are many OP's chomping
at the bit, as it were, to post breaking news. Also there are members here
whose opinions I have grown to respect for the short period of time
I have been a member (lurked for a long time before joining).

5. Like most, I suppose, I only comment on what I find interesting or have
some knowledge of.

6. attention to detail is my greatest asset,

I am new here too can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind either.

Any time there is a really interesting Site like this that finds...shares...informs about information the Governemt rather keep out of the lymlight...main stream Media, you KNOW 'They' are going to be lurking...placing 'Their' secret Staff on board. It's 'Their' nature.

Everything has a shadow.

Truth, Love and true Light, Maya







reply to post by Dock9

When I became a member here I started posting but noticed something that I hate a lot. Names calling, derogatory comments towards other members just because they have a different opinion. It was so much that I started falling into that trend because I was so mad. So I decided to just read and not comment.

I started commenting again, and once again you find those that call you stupid because you have a different opinion. I understand that emotion make a number on you and sometimes you say things that you don't want but we are supposed to be open minded.

This is to be an open minded website, and it is, but no all its member.
What I hate the most is when you get an independent researcher and just because he doesn't hold a degree in what he's talking about, people don't want to listen to him. I guess that some people forget that school started with one, or several persons, teaching themselves and discovering things, and in the process teaching others of their findings, thus creating "schools'. Some also forget that school teaches the view of some, not what necessarily is the truth.

That's why we have sites like this, because they don't teach you in school about ufos and aliens but they teach you the lack of it. They are not open minded and don't spend real money researching about that. Because teachers have a mentor, and they don't like it when their mentors are being question and the ridicule any other theory.

This site is for open minded people. To discuss the abnormal, the incredible, the unbelievable. But still you find those that will put you down because you don't agree with them.

That's why I might stop posting again. If I want to be insulted and ridiculed, I just have to go outside of my house and shout that I don't believe in god and that I do believe in ufos.

I will say the same thing here that I posted in a recent thread that asked much the same thing.

I can only speak for myself, but part of it is that I don't like posting before I've read the entire thread and by the time I finish a thread (with all of the time-outs to go do mom/wife things making the reading take longer) a handful of people have already posted almost exactly what I was thinking and would have posted and my contribution would have only been an echo that didn't add much of value. I don't post a lot to begin with because it takes me so long to get through some threads sometimes and by the time I finish the thread the conversation has been over for days or a week or more and I hate to be guilty of thread necromancy.

Another part, though smaller, is that I am a horribly wordy beast. I love words and I post big long posts and, while I haven't gotten the response myself, I've seen some wonderful, phenomenal posts that were fairly big, but incredibly well thought out and well written be dismissed with a handful of posts complaining that they were too long winded and the posters couldn't be bothered with taking the time to read through them. Requests to shorten the posts and "bottom line me" without the details. That turned me off a bit. Why bother if what I have to offer isn't even going to be read if it is too long? And, being who I am, it is inevitable that it WILL be too long.

I also never seem to have ideas that I think would be of interest to very many people besides myself. My daughter has been known to complain that I have a serious lack of imagination, I'm afraid.

Mostly, I just enjoy reading everyone else's ideas and thoughts. I learn so much from reading other perspectives and opinions and seeing things from different points of view and I get caught up in trying to read everything and just kinda forget to post for myself.

To add to this, though, what does it matter if you, the OP, recognize someone or not? Do their posts only matter if you recognize the person? I've been here for a while now, yet I have no doubt that pretty much no one recognizes me solely because I read more than I post, but does that mean that my opinion is less valid than someone that you do recognize? Maybe calling people out and saying "Hey, I've never seen you before" is not the best way to encourage people to post. Frankly, it's no skin off my back end if you recognize me or not and if that is the criteria for my post being deemed "worthy" of consideration, I'm not that worried about having your approval.

Take care,
Cindi

reply to post by Blanca Rose


The wise man listens more than he speaks...

reply to post by Blanca Rose


Good question!

We are not a normal group of people I'm afraid. We are anything from the craziest people around to the some of the highest IQ's on the planet. Perhaps this is more of a Carnival Side Show. Some want to keep us at arms length. Some are scared if they post what they think, men in black suits will break down their doors.

In reality though. The group of people who post often changes every couple of years. After a while the posts start to be the same topics over and over. I've been feeling that way lately. Its getting hard to find new stuff and often I feel its best to let new people discover things for themselves. In UFO's for instance it's many days between anything new or interesting. To a new person its all new and fresh.

Originally posted by Glencairn


To add to this, though, what does it matter if you, the OP, recognize someone or not? Do their posts only matter if you recognize the person? I've been here for a while now, yet I have no doubt that pretty much no one recognizes me solely because I read more than I post, but does that mean that my opinion is less valid than someone that you do recognize? Maybe calling people out and saying "Hey, I've never seen you before" is not the best way to encourage people to post. Frankly, it's no skin off my back end if you recognize me or not and if that is the criteria for my post being deemed "worthy" of consideration, I'm not that worried about having your approval.

It doesn't matter to me if I recognize someone or not. What I pointed out with this thread, is while there are perhaps 400 or more members here at any given time, it seems that the largest portion of replies in threads, are by the same people, over and over.

Hopefully more people will see some of the reasons why some don't post, see that they are not the only ones who feel that way, and decide to take the plung! I do find it kind of odd that you think I need to deem you worthy of anything. So, basically, I think you showed why some people don't add more, because they might think that somebody won't find them worthy, which is pretty sad.

Oh, and really, I don't think I have ever read one of your posts before, but I look forward to in the future!

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Blanca Rose]