An open message to you all "Since when did this website become.....

an outlet for hate"

I have to admit, that I have never been so surprised, baffled and at the same time disgusted by some of the messages that have been conveyed in many of the threads on the boards recently. When I first came to this website, three years ago, I was simply blown away by the in depth discussion, high quality of threads posted, and the heated yet, challenging debates of various view points on a great range of topics.

These days Im not so impressed by the content, and while I love ATS, Im finding myself being driven away to the light hearted confines of BTS, where there seems to be more quality in many of the threads posted there. Im not saying that there are not any good threads on ATS, but it appears they are becoming harder to find every couple of months or so.

This is not a dig at ATS itself, its a dig at some of the content that is polluting the boards.

Since when did people think that using one of the worlds most frequented conspiracy websites, was a good tool to spew forth hatred, racism, religious intolerance, attacks on religion and sexual preference?

Ive had enough of this crap, and I dont understand why when I log into ATS, I should see dozens of threads which include:

100% proof of why god does or doesnt exist (does NOT belong in the conspiracies in religion forum, period)

100% proof that atheists or "insert religious sect" are stupid, wrong, ignorant etc etc

Anything that condones the horrific crimes against humans or animals. For example, people believing Hitler was a saint, or claiming that animals have no rights and/or feel pain

Anything that claims that one sex is superior to the opposite one

Anything that claims homsexuals are evil, abnormal humans or any other homophobic or religious based homophobic comment

Any complete trash talking about muslims....especially when most of us know absolutely nothing about them

Any thread that claims one country is better than another for whatever reason

Any thread that claims caucasians are more advanced than other races, and afro-american people are sub human, or any other racial remark against them. And that goes both ways

Any thread that attacks communism, or any other political sect, which again most of you either use disinfo from unreliable, or propoganda websites or even blogs

Anything that attacks Israel and the Jews, where some comments have been down right ridiculous and disrespecftul

Anyone thats not a medical proffesional that pushes people to not take their medication, especially when it could cause harm. (Opinion is fine but dont try and force someone of them)

The blatant attack on Law enforcement officals, and hiding behind the NWO conspiracy, to justify your hate for them, or using any possible source to justify an attack

Free speech fine....but using it to spread hate...is not

The lack of these types of threads and comments used to seperate ATS from most other conspiracy websites, but now we seem to be heading in the opposite way. I can name many where these comments are welcome, but they dont belong here.

Its time for us to act ATS'ers (I know many of you want to say it, but dont know how, or dont want to). Let it be known that this kind of BS is not wanted here. We want the board of ATS to be filled with interesting, mainly conspiracy related topics, no matter how silly, or far out they are, wether we agree or not with the OP!

This is not a rant, I wanted to convey this (what I feel) is a very important message out there for every member to read, and every member to take into account, so that ATS moves forward, and continues to be head and shoulders above every other conspiracy website in the world!

Im not asking for anyone to reply, or flag or star this, but I hope you all take it on board, and pass it on to others. If you dont agree, then I will be interested to see why you think my entire message is wrong.

Thanks



[edit on 13/8/2010 by OzWeatherman]

Sorry didn't read your whole post but I can answer the topics question. Everywhere in the world people are becoming more and more aggressive everyday. "Web Bot" predicted it would happen years ago. I don't take everything that piece of technology says as fact, but I do strongly believe that part. I believe it has something to do with changes in the cosmos.

Every living thing on Earth is effected by solar changes. An obvious example is the migratory patterns of birds and bees. Of course we're not a migratory species but it still affects us mentally. To think birds and bees are the other creatures affected by solar changes is just closed minded. Hope that answers the question. Now I'll read everything else you wrote.

i beleive it is possible that disinformation agents are here, i beleive when a topic is too accurate they infiltrate the thread and begin causing as many arguments about as many little details, off topic or on topic it doesn't matter, in an effort to derail the conversation as much as possible

getting people 'flustered' also really tends to shut down their logically functioning side of their brain

as well as instigating them into responding back with the same intense emotions, lowering them to the level that they were provoked with, and making whatever argument they were trying to make ( however close to the truth it might be ) seem as real as the lie being argued by the disinformation agent, since they both have been presented in the same dialogue and level of emotional maturity

you can see this technique in success many times on ats

of course, there are times when people on ats get overly emotional about something and what you are talking a bout it very true

all in all though, it's just the internet, no reason to get over excited

[edit on 8/13/2010 by indigothefish]

[edit on 8/13/2010 by indigothefish]

[edit on 8/13/2010 by indigothefish]

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Well said OZ! I feel much the same way as you. Certainly there are T&C in place to curtail such occurrences, no? Are they simply not getting reported? Are the Mods too lax on these issues? Or is ATS looking to expand their membership by allowing these "haters" into the community?

reply to post by OzWeatherman


OzWeathman you hit the nail on the head with your assessment of ATS. ATS is running amok.

Since when did you become so right?

I couldn't agree with you more, oz. I honestly haven't had much drive to write threads anymore for this reason. I know it sounds contradictory, but the lack of quality threads has trickled down to a lack of quality replies.

I'm like you...I've been posting every once and a while in ATS but spending most of my time on BTS and chat.

That's all I got, buddy. Nice rant. But, unfortunately, it will probably fall upon deaf ears....err blind eyes.

-Dev

Well done OZ, ...

Hating the Haters ....

It is only a matter of time, untill someone makes a thread about Hater Hating, will this cycle of hatred and madness continue forever ??

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Hi,

No, you are right.

ATS has become a vehicle for vitriolic outpourings but worse, a total negativism. Everything is (apparently and hopefully in many posters' minds is nothing but doom, destruction and gloom).

Sure there are one or two great threads and a few solid contributers - I have leant so much from such factual posters.... but overall.... I used to spend considerable time reading the threads - now I log in, look at the topics and unfortunately, sometimes finding one of interest watch it descend to a personal attack on the OS or another poster.... A descending spiral...

That said - you always contribute so much and hope you will continue to do so...

Peace!

reply to post by OzWeatherman

I second the notion Oz! I guess hate is just as much a part of the human experience as positivity, and while I am grateful for the freedom that allows such expressions, it doesn't make it amy less disenchanting.
So many of us are to learn and share in our experiences, and the one thing that shuts down the learning process, is not criticism, but snide remarks and attitude. I can't help but think to some it is cool to lash out and attack.
Granted, we should be more thick skinned, but that doesn't mean we have to sit idol and take this hateful condemnation.
I have utilized my "ignore" button just to keep such nastiness from my threads. Again, I welcome and honor criticism, it has been one of my best teachers here, but people should be smart/creative enough to do so constructively, addressing the issue and not the messenger.

Peace

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Oz You are so right, I've been a lurker on ATS for probably about 3-4 years and I've noticed this changes as well. I know I may not be that veteran on this site but I do find allot of these newer threads are used to spread "dis-info, hate, anger and so fourth.

Basically what I'm saying is I second this movement you have hopefully created S+F for you my friend.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


thanks oz for brining it up!

i think this is not only an ATS problem, this seems to become a problem of our modern world.
people want to be right, but they lack of proper argumentation.

maybe they fond themselves in a kind of trap and act a bit like a dog in a corner. i am not quiet sure.
but unfortunately i have the sad pleasure to watch it in many areas of daily live.

i don.t mind a nice word now and then, but usually all by myself to vent a bit.
but if you are arguing with people, discussing with people, you should be able to make your point somehow politely.

our world becomes more and more an on-line world and people tend to forget that they are dealing with real people.
it seems to them so much easier to spread their hate their anger their dissatisfaction with a keyboard than telling it to the right person, a person that might be really responsible for the mess they are angry about. and it is so much easier to do all this via their computer because they don.t have to admit that they are responsible for all their bad feelings and all the mess in their lives.

it is not easy to get a life these days, and people have to learn that on-line life is as well part f their life than off-line life and that people in a forum are as well people as people on the street or on the phone.

so thanks again for bringing it up.

hopefully it will make people think and even more hopefully change their behavior.

ATS posts reflect the opinions and beliefs of people out-there -- in coffee bars, in restaurants, in living rooms and telephone conversations and in other boards, blogs and fora

ATS is not Play-School

It's not school

Nor is ATS here to try to function as Thought or Speech Police -- at least one would hope not

Many of those who post in ATS are of senior-age, are married with children, have experience in life and in the world,

They are, many of them, intelligent, well-informed, well-read, educated

They would doubtless consider it to be presumptuous of the OP to lecture to them as to what and what does not constitute 'suitable' topics of discussion --- particularly when those very topics are discussed in the mass media AND by politicians of every stripe as well as in schools, colleges, universities the world over

If ATS members are prevented from engaging in free and open expression within ATS, they of course may well leave and patronise other fora / forums, of which there are hundreds online

Does the OP believe or wish to assert that discussion of a topic involving people of various races and creeds amounts to 'racism' ?

If so, perhaps the OP needs to acquaint him/her self with the definition of 'racism', which, in short, merely means the belief that one's own race is superior to another

It may be that ATS members DO believe their own culture is superior to certain others

And perhaps some cultures ARE superior to certain others - partially or in total

Is the OP suggesting he wishes obvious facts be ignored -- in which case he/she would be claiming that ATS wishes to function as Speech and Thought Police -- in addition to suggesting ATS operate in defence of ignorance ?

Or is the OP suggesting that ATS insists some cultures are creeds are Protected Species within ATS - while others (American culture for example) are not ?

I don't believe I've witnessed the OP or ATS complaining when Western culture -- or Christianity -- are criticised, denigrated and ridiculed ?

So is the OP suggesting that on ATS, there is one rule as applies to Western culture and Christianity ---- and another for other cultures and creeds ?








[edit on 13-8-2010 by Dock9]

Originally posted by OzWeatherman

When I first came to this website, three years ago, I was simply blown away by the in depth discussion, high quality of threads posted, and the heated yet, challenging debates of various view points on a great range of topics.

These days Im not so impressed by the content, and while I love ATS, Im finding myself being driven away to the light hearted confines of BTS

I couldn't have said it better. I too find that the threads aren't as good as they used to be. Not being nostalgic, just a realist. I missed threads that made one really scratch my head and search for more info - i.e the ones that got you thinking.

One person who comes to mind is Mike Singh. Whatever happened to Mike, anyone know?

(oh yeah, S&F )

[edit on 13-8-2010 by TortoiseKweek]

First, let me say I, too, agree with you, Oz. However, ATS is FAR more civilized than other places. It's rough in the comments section for Youtube. Sounds ridiculous, but that's a 'no holds barred' kinda place.

I think what we're seeing here is the polarization of the the population. Things are gettin' skinny out there and people are cranky. The FAVORITE trick of TPTB is ..... any guesses?? Divide and Conquer. And it's working according to plan.

This is where the 'love stuff' comes in. But it is HARD to do when some nameless, faceless boob is calling you names and throwing blowhard insults your way. But I'm tryin"!!!!

You are right OZ, but if you look around in other forums and comment sections of news websites for example, you will see that it is not only here that this has increased. At first I was thinking it was just people being trolls but the more I look, the more I see that this is how people really think and behave now. Every other post has someone lashing out with anger even if it is about something nice. People are angry because of what the world is going through right now and need someone to blame and release their anger. Maybe it is becoming the norm and it is too much for the mods to take care of.

My thoughts on this subject are short and sweet.

Be the change you want to see.

Do not feed the trolls.

Told ya, short and sweet!

My thoughts on this subject are short and sweet.

Be the change you want to see.

Do not feed the trolls.

Told ya, short and sweet!

reply to post by Dock9

Or is the OP suggesting that ATS insists some cultures are creeds are Protected Species within ATS - while others (American culture for example) are not ?

I don't believe I've witnessed the OP or ATS complaining when Western culture -- or Christianity -- are criticised, denigrated and ridiculed ?

So is the OP suggesting that on ATS, there is one rule as applies to Western culture and Christianity ---- and another for other cultures and creeds ?

There is plenty of criticism for Western culture here. If you haven't witnessed criticism of Christianity or Western culture here, then you haven't been surfing the threads enough.
I think part of the position here is encouragement to not attack the messenger, but the message instead.
Do you think it is okay to call someone a loser or stupid? Just because we have the right does not mean we should abuse it.
Example: Yes, I can walk up to someone of a different race and call them a name, but that doesn't mean I will. Personal responsibility is being encouraged in this thread, not so much with the subjects, but in addressing them.
Challenging someone's belief is one thing, but attacking them as a person does more harm than good, imo.

spec


[edit on 13-8-2010 by speculativeoptimist]

reply to post by OzWeatherman


I'm sorry I just have not noticed what you are saying at all. When I arrived at ATS I would see threads with haters on occasion. And today I notice threads with haters on occasion.

If you can provide some concrete examples it would help, because you could type those into the search box and see if such threads are increasing in number compared to the number of all threads (which since ATS is growing there are more of now).

What is happening is that people are becoming more angry. Why? Because the truth about what our governments are doing is become public knowledge. I think it has always been this bad but its only becoming clear now that the information is available. And this causes people to get very mad. They then look at people to vent their anger on. For example, if they think illegal immigration is one of their problems, they may decide to get angry at Mexicans and say something about that on ATS.

So maybe its not so much the increase in hate as it is the increase in general unhappiness with society.

I am of the "be the change you wish to see" philosophy myself.

The world is a mixed bag, thats for sure - and the internet is a unique place where anybody can be anyone they wish to be, hiding behind the mask of digital anonimity.

And sadly, what that means is that every little predjudice, every vile little idea, every monstrous notion and every sick and twisted thought is likely to be aired on the the 'net.

And as such I say this - yes, Oz, I appreciate your plea for sanity.

But... (there is always a but)

Please people, don't go vigilante on this stuff. Alert the staff if you see anything that is OTT and let us try and deal with it as best as we can. It may take longer than you'd expect, or like sometimes, but we WILL get round to sorting out the problem.