If you ever go back and read some of the threads from the "good ole days", among them you will find multiple threads discussing the "good ole days".

Old threads complaining about lack of quality, trolling, and wishing for how things "used to be", can be found as far back as I have ventured, which is pretty far, in ATS years.

Having said that, there are members who have left for some reason, or been banned, that I miss too. But's it done. Some old members come and go, I think depending on life's circumstances.

I am getting a little better at smelling the roses, and taking a step over the piles of dog crap that we see daily. And I try to keep in mind that your "roses", might very well be my "pile of dog crap", and vice versa.

But whoever said "it's deny ignorance.....not deny everything"!!
I do see your point.

Sometimes I might say to a friend "That's interesting, why don't you make a thread about that?"

The answer is usually, "nah, I can't take the flaming".

But if you will go back and read some old threads, I think you will see this is nothing new.
It seems to have always been this way. I guess it's the nature of conspiracies. ?

I believe that part of the issue may be that threads that require use of brain cells often go un-noticed. I for one have seen very high quality threads discussing politics, economics and social issues go on with only one or two postings.

I for one sincerely miss Justin Oldham and Donwhite. Not because I agreed with them but because we could delve into an issue, express multiple sides and never revert to name calling or disrespect. In fact Donwhite and myself highly disagreed on most issues but I truly respect his research and knowledge of the issues discussed.

I would rather have a deep discussion with someone I disagree with than a thread that goes on for ten pages giving me accolades for reposting a news quip.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

edit for spelling




reluctantpawn

[edit on 1-9-2010 by reluctantpawn]

I have a few comments.

First, when exactly were the good old days?

I subscribe to a theory.

If you are always looking back, you will never see what is right in front of you, in the here and now.

That said.

Can we lay off the "teenage hoaxers" crap?

I LOVE hearing from young minds on this site, at times I am shocked and pleasantly surprised when a poster gives their age as teens or twenties, because I had been reading their posts as from someone closer to my own age. Young minds bring fresh perspectives and breathe life into forums. It is up to the older members to behave in accordance to show by example how the board works.

Is labeling them hoaxters going to encourage them to post here with what appears to be a bunch of old farts moaning for the good old days when they ignore the beauty before them in the ehre and now?

Another point.

Who is gone, and what defines them as esteemed?

How can this topic be discussed if the OP is unwilling to give us names, and esteemed threads to go along with it? Examples to support the theory she brings forth?

I would like to know where this other website is, as well, because the claim from OP is clearly a bunch of really good posters left for another board. Bottom line that seems odd to claim and how can we discuss that claim without knowing who and where they went?

I think this is a wonderful website.

But we make of it what we will.

I have been thinking so hard lately about leaving this site...and I think we all know why...I really don't know why a lot of the good contributors are starting to leave, I have noticed it too...what do you suspect the reason is, all this Facebook and conspiracy chic crap, or something else?

Been here a while.

Still deep in the research of many things.


Still loving ATS and visiting it just about daily.


Some of the older members get burned out for a time; but they always find their way back.


Long live ATS!

Look at this...the perfect example for why I'm thinking about leaving this site...you'll notice a thread titled "this site isnt healthy for anybody" in the new threads list, it's unsurprisingly been completely deleted, only to leave a 404 error...it couldn't just be closed...did it really contain something so detrimental to this site? Judging by the title, the poster was merely discussing the mental health issues related with conspiracies. This site is so backwards, posts like that are always removed, anything putting into question the operations of this website are censored and suppressed, plain and simple. I have no doubt this post is likely to be removed. I hate nothing more than the censoring of legitimate information.

[edit on 1/9/10 by CHA0S]

Originally posted by Kandinsky
Maybe a member with 100s of friends and 1000s of flags gets to the point where they overstep the mark? Instead of accepting the post-removal or warning, they can react like, "Do you know who I am? You can't do that to me! I AM ATS!" They get resentful.

I personally have never encountered such members who say "Do you know who I am" quite frankly it is laughable to think that anyone has any power on an internet forum, that said there are valid experienced members on this site that can offer alot to many, and ATS needs to do something to ensure that these people aren't put off by spending time posting detailed threads only to see them go by the wayside a short time later.

I can tell you why I dropped out of this site and what others have told me about why they left - it is because trying to have a discussion (for example "Is Paul Dead") with consistent badgering by a couple posters would continually derail the thread and when anyone complained about it the COMPLAINER was punished and the badgering allowed to fluorish to the point where the thread was then CLOSED.

I've complained to the owners about this historically and received nothing back about it. Add to that the owners/mods have banned very credible posters for no valid reason other than their personal preferences and you get what there is today -

I agree the quality of threads has gone down exponentially since last year. I've also noticed the quality of spelling has gone down exponentially as well and the "yes you are" "no I'm not" continues in a more condensed "two liner" form.

When I learned of credible posters with a research background and inquiring mind and a long history of good, substantial material posted were getting banned, it was enough for them to move on, period.

ANYONE with a real desire for real discussion who gets banned when numerous obnoxious posters are allowed to continue sees there's no reason to be here - who wants to post something about their experience or their opinion only to have it bashed, bashed, bashed, and when the OP lashes out then the OP gets banned? It's all bass ackwards, it was pointed out to the mods more than a year ago by myself and others and nothing came of it.

Infraredman banned? Mystique was historically - not sure of all the others screen names, but "they" simply get tired of the administration "bs" more than anything. Why would the mods/owners let quality posters get banned and leave? That's the real question.

So I absolutely agree franspeakfree, the quality has deteriorated. I only lurk here to see if there's anything of quality showing up - 9/10 times there isn't, but as a researcher I keep looking everywhere, I just don't stop "here" to share as the others don't either.

If ATS wants quality posters back (yes there's still a few here, but many more have long gone because of the political bs in the mods/owners), they have to change their priorities.

They didn't leave because of "other things". To real researchers and seekers of Truth (in all forms) they do this because of family - how can I help my family if I'm not current on what's really going on? So I disagree they stopped posting due to other commitments or priorities - hardcore researchers don't stop - and they haven't -

They want opportunity for discussion, not to put something out there and get instant "hoax, bs, troll, disinformation agent, etc. etc. etc." Gets tiring really fast. Real researchers want to discuss and share and learn, not argue from the outset. When I first came across this website 3(?) years ago, it was much better - about a year or more ago all this backwards moderating began punishing the complainers and not the offenders.

If they want the researchers back, ATS should come down on the naysayers who do this just for sake of naysaying and support posters who want to genuinely share and discuss. I've seen two excellent threads closed because of obnoxious posters making it so difficult to even continue that the thread got shut down instead of the obnoxious posters being banned - and the threads were hundreds of pages long.

So what's responsible for the majority of quality posters/researchers leaving? Comes down to admin. If they cared it wouldn't have happened. I wonder why they don't care?

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
It seems to have always been this way. I guess it's the nature of conspiracies. ?

I have read your post and I can empathise with it, things do change and life does go on, however, I just want to make one thing clear if I may. I am not saying that experienced members are leaving due to a conspiracy I have posted this in skunk works as there is no ulterior motive behind this, just my point of view.

I for one, agree. The more and more i see newbies coming in and almost destroying credibility, the more i want to leave; or at least stop contribution.