The UFO forum is becoming fail

I've been reading these forums for years, and I, too, agree with the OP.

Maybe my memory is faulty, but I remember many of pretty captivating discussions back in the day. They were presented more as research projects than simple forums posts, and it was truly great reading. Threads like that pop up every now and again these days, but not nearly as often as they used to.

My daily voyages to this forum have dwindled to a drive-by every few weeks or so. To me, there appears to be a lacking of a middle ground... a lacking of good objective discussion to get to the bottom of things. I might be reading the wrong threads when I drop by, but at least in my estimation, two camps have risen to the forefront; the believer extremists and the debunking extremists. It's almost as mindless as party-line politics. Some piece of interesting evidence gets presented, and they blindly run to their respective corners.

Denying ignorance often times gets lost in the mix.

reply to post by Radiobuzz


I think the real problem is that the majority of people on this forum know about half as much as they think, and think twice as much of themselves as they're owed. Though I suppose that's true of humanity on the whole (present company included).

I never thought using a term as "fail" would create such debate. I only used it because I find it funny. I agree there's a netiquette we should all respect just to be able to understand each other. However, even though I never studied English I believe I'm able to get my point across with my basic expressions. Yet I didn't believe (and I still don't) that naming a thread with a known although wrong expression would contribute to the points I've named on my post, in the same way a don't believe an user with a lolcat avatar would too. This however goes to show how some people get caught up discussing the issue's peripheria and not the issue itself.

reply to post by neformore


Actually, if you read the last discussion I was in you would see that I was not agreeing with the pictures posted and yet I had a healthy exchange with another user who debunked my "debunkement" (oh noes, made-up word! The board is going to explode!). Neither of us felt the need to be aggressive and neither were pushing our versions of reality into the other's throat. Other than that, I fail to see what more can I do. I can't change how people express themselfs or the thought they invest in the message they write.

And I'm also not agreeing at all with your "don't complain about it" view. I do complain about it because we need oxigen and we need a space to vent and discuss the very same issues we feel are ripping this forum appart. Problems don't dissappear just by ignoring them.

I agree with the OP, mostly...

But there are other problems that comes with UFO skeptics. ATS has created a sort of "skepticism school" which is really cool because it keeps dumb cases away

This statement is actually contradictory to the examples listed prior. ie bug on window = dumb case?


I think there is possibly some credible or true UFO (unidentified) footage/pics etc out there, but due to all the crap, hoaxes dots etc, people are afraid to post anything. Even forward thinking trustworthy individuals are shying away from posting anything for fear of the attacks and/or the advancement of technology increasing to the point no one can tell what is real or fake anymore.


I have seen things posted that have not been thoroughly debunked or proven "alien". But in the end there are enough "attackers" to chase the threads away.

reply to post by Radiobuzz


I agree with your Op Radiobuzz. I've been interested in UFO's now for over 30 years. I find my interest builds and wanes. Currently I'm not spending as much time in the U&A forum due to the inordinate amount of members that have exchanged their brains and credibility for what resembles a faith movement (UFO Religion). Rabid belief has replaced critical thinking/logic and when combined with the infestation of charlatanism, it's turning UFOlogy into a three ringed circus... and boy do we have our fair share of clowns.

When I do venture into U&A, I don't expect to find anything earth shattering anymore and that's rather telling. I just find my eyes rolling as I read through all the ridiculous thread titles.

It would be helpful if we could subscribe to certain members (like we can in video & media)... the members we know provide solid threads and interesting arguments for and against. It would be a helpful way to tailor our experience at ATS.


IRM

[edit on 10/6/10 by InfaRedMan]

reply to post by InfaRedMan


InfaRedMan.....

Currently I'm not spending as much time in the U&A forum

Well, I think you should wake up to yourself.

What if you miss Little Grandmother?

Did you think about that?

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not


Little Grandmother?

In the words of Pauline Hanson.... Please Explain!

IRM

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

 

Little Grandmother?

In the words of Pauline Hanson.... Please Explain!

IRM

Little Grandmother loves you, IRM!!!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
reply to post by Radiobuzz

 

It would be helpful if we could subscribe to certain members (like we can in video & media)... the members we know provide solid threads and interesting arguments for and against. It would be a helpful way to tailor our experience at ATS.

Awesome idea!! Where do I sign up?! I sure as hell hope the ATS overlords read your feedback.

edit: Is there a webpage / thread where people can submit suggestions?

[edit on 10-6-2010 by TheMalefactor]

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not


Oh Dear! I'm glad I did miss out on little grandmother.... but I sure do feel warm and fuzzy inside since you've passed on her love for me!

Hey.. she's only human right. I can't blame her!

IRM

Originally posted by franspeakfree
Erm......Thats not strictly true is it, I can only take from your post that you have been in an underground bunker for the last 5 years or that you are not a keen ufologist, to start with, we have had confessions by top brass,

Old news, we've been having confessions from top brass for the past 20 years. It's almost as old as saying "you've been in an underground bunker for the last 5 years", except not as lame.

we have had NASA admit to water albeit water/ice molecules on the moon

Big deal, that has nothing to do with disclosing the alien presence.

we have had confessions from astronauts,

Yeah, astronauts have been confessing things for the past 20-30 years, nothing new here. Nothing Earth shattering, just another wave in the ocean.

we have had upteen sightings that have not been debunked,

Sightings that haven't been debunked means they are sightings that haven't been proven, either. Hardly the pressure necessary to budge the government.

lets not forget Stephen Hawkins public quote 'don't talk to aliens',

Irrelevant, Hawkins is a theoretical physicist, and like a good theoretical physicist he only talked about theories and possibilities, nothing about what is. Another push in the "right" direction? Doubtful.

coupled with the alien embassy in kazakhstan, what about the china sighting
of the craft thats going to take the authorities 1 year to study the video footage.

Links would be good here. Either way, still nothing concrete, still nothing to take us over the edge. It's no Roswell.

On top of that we have increased Russian sightings (possibly new silent man made tech) but nevertheless,

Russian sighting reports increased after the Berlin Wall fell. Still nothing from them tops the Mig chase.

we have had sightings all over the US that have proven very fruitful after studying the analysis, lastly but by no means least, who can forget about the O hare airport Chicago I leave you with this:

"The disk was visible for approximately two minutes and was seen by close to a dozen United Airlines employees, ranging from pilots to supervisors, who heard chatter on the radio and raced out to view it."[1][2] The UFO was then seen to suddenly accelerate straight up through the overcast skies. Witnesses reported that the object left behind an open hole of clear air in the cloud layer and that the mysterious hole disappeared or "closed" within a few minutes

This was a good sighting, but like usual most of the facts have been suppressed and it's hardly making the public pressure the governments. Yeah, good sighting, but big deal.

So I challenge your statement, I do not believe people are bores I believe more and more people are waking up and trying to get to the truth maybe a little faster than they should but nevertheless they are starting to look.

Yeah, the number of people interested has increased and will continue to increase, but as you can see, my statement still stands. Nothing really new has happened, no new Roswell, nothing that's going to push us over the edge into disclosure. It's all small stuff, and we're still waiting. It's just been interesting reading material.

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

 

Oh Dear! I'm glad I did miss out on little grandmother.... but I sure do feel warm and fuzzy inside since you've passed on her love for me!

Hey.. she's only human right. I can't blame her!

IRM

Well.....

Remember what Internos said.....

"The best chanellers are the ones that STFU!"

Cheers mate
Pauline

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not


That quote makes me miss the bugger even more! Never have truer words been spoken my friend.

IRM

I understand you find sorting through topics a bit tedious. Why don't you request a summed up version of this forum. The sight creator can have members continue to read his contents and users would be offered a resource to post on the main sight. I don't like the idea of control by design.

I would rather be able to post on this sight in the future then jump through everyone tantrum blogs. You can retain the five minutes and treat the world like a newspaper.

Originally posted by spritualextendsemail
I would rather be able to post on this sight in the future then jump through everyone tantrum blogs. You can retain the five minutes and treat the world like a newspaper.

Excellent post. The irony of the whole thread is breathtaking. I mean, creating a fail thread calling a forum a fail because it's changing. Way to take the fail out of the forum by creating a whine thread, it's just what it needs.

Old people; can't live with them, wish we didn't teach them how to use computers.

[edit on 10-6-2010 by NASA is ASAN]

Internos banned??? A great shame indeed!

Unapologetic second line.

Write your own threads!

It's funny how a lot of those complaining in this thread haven't done anything to raise the standards in the Alien and UFO section. They haven't written any threads. The section can only be as good as the contribution you all make. There's nothing to stop any one of you (including the OP) from showing how it should be done.

Improve the quality of 'Aliens and UFOs'

Contribute your own content! There are hundreds of incidents that haven't been covered sufficiently or recently. There are new angles to look at. You could look back at old threads and look how you could improve them. Rewrite and add video and images....it's perfectly okay and you can ignore the petty members that whinge about 'use the search function' on a 3 year old topic (those members are like parking attendants....yawn).

Report T&C violating eejits!

There's a lot of concerns about rabid debunkers and believers being too hostile. If they violate the T&Cs....report them.

Most importantly...support the good threads!

I see some great threads arrive and get 3 posts and maybe a handful of stars. A debunked YT video gains a hundred replies and a few stars and flags! You're focused on the rubbish and ignoring the quality. This thread has dozens of flags and stars...is it adding to the quality of the Aliens and UFOs section? No.

Here's an example...New NARCAP Study... Spheres and Aviation Safety.

Narcap boss posts a report that contains a completely documented case of Brazilian airspace being alerted to UFOs. Jets are scrambled, pilots and Air Traffic Control are witnesses. The President of Brazil refers to the case! The report even contains more sightings...all documented and pretty damn new to ATS. You should all find the report freaking amazing and interesting as hell! But no...it gets 10 flags a couple of stars and doesn't breach one pitiful page.

Will Narcap be posting another thread in the near future? Based on this reception, I bloody well doubt it. He could come back and post a whiny thread or post a YT video and get more attention because that's the ATS you've all created.

Where were you all on these good threads?! Flag and star the good threads before you start bitching about the bad ones!

Now before you give me a flaming for pointing out the plain truth in words you understand...come back and post a great thread! From today, if you really mean it, start adding to the quality and create a better Aliens and UFOs section

Originally posted by spritualextendsemail
I understand you find sorting through topics a bit tedious. Why don't you request a summed up version of this forum.

Is there anything else we can get him?

A cappucino perhaps?

Originally posted by Aliensun
reply to post by Brainiac

 

Ah, yes, the attack of the debunkers. Actually, I like the term "Zombies" better, but, heck, it has been applied to another life form in these forums.

BTW: Didn't you hear the buzzer?

Zombies... Hrmpf.
Just because the World most of us see isn't some uber crazy fantasy world, where people can travel through time, aliens routinely visit Earth more often than Mos Isley, and magical things can happen that makes one a Zombie? More like "normal"...

It's fine to daydream, but 99% of the time, nothing out of the ordinary happens, and the other 1% is mistaken identity...

If you jump off of a skyscraper, what do you think would be the most likely outcome? Hitting the ground and dying instantly? Or suddenly teleported safely to the ground without so much as a scratch?

Again read my signature...

[edit on 6/11/2010 by Brainiac]

Not to disagree at the points made in the OP's post, but, every so often someone will post something here and say, effectively, how things have changed and how it's not like it was in the 'good ole days' etc.

Now, I've been here for some time, 6 years, and it's truly, one of those things - the more things change, the more they stay the same. This perceived degradation has always been symptomatic.

I THINK it's because, when you first come here, things are shiny and new, and you only see the good, the wonderful sharing and explorative debate that's gone on. But as time goes on, you realise, every 'new' thing is really the same old same old, and all the conversations have been had before at least 3 times, every story posted and debated before. And then as the years go by, and being part of the community here, you start to see patterns in the social structure and you realise that there are some folks here for whom evidence is secondary to the NEED to believe. And even worse than that, you realise that the noise ratio is so high, that most of the community is doing a great job of disinformation all on their own, without even adding in the kooks, the freaks and the genuine disinfo agents. THEN, like any community, there is a strata of politics in it, factions that work against one another, playing games, caught up in self importance and ego and insecurities and bound by any number of other emotional weight to the issues.

But it takes time to be aware of all this. So, nothing has really changed, other than the honeymoon is over and you see your bride for the woman she is, with all her flaws as well as her glories.