Over what's happening to ATS, might be time to leave.

8 years at ATS so far! Where did the time go?

I learned a lot here, shared a lot, argued a bit more than I would have wanted to and found some excellent people from all walks of life who are above all Honest and Caring.. Thank You.. you know who you are.

For all these years ATS has been THE place to go for growth opportunity, for being kicked out of the comfort zone when needed, and learning more about how our Culture is transforming right before our eyes.

One thing that kind of shocked me was the slow realisation that most westerners accept and expect that everyone is Dishonest.. as if that is okay?? I share from the heart as often as possible, try to show respect for all people, and offer my experience totally Honestly.. which puts me against the grain of where ATS is going now.

And, in the past 6 months or so ATS has been going down the drain faster than I care to watch. The amount of completely inane topics is starting to get to me. It is no longer the ATS I came to cherish, instead it is becoming more and more like a kiddy playground.

If I see another "OMG" in a thread headline I will scream my house down !! Seriously. I might be getting older, and that may explain some of my lack of patience these days, but ATS has lost what it had when I found it all those years ago. I still see small snippets of the way it was, but other than that it has lost it's Edge.... it's become.. Dare I say it???

Mainstream!!

So while I decide to stay or go, I will lurk a while. If I go then I would thank all of you who have helped, all of you who have been helped and told me so, and all those who seek a better way to live as an honest human being.

Not much of a rant really was it?

reply to post by Tayesin

Hi Tayesin..I have never met you, but I'm glad to meet you now, please don't go. Wisdom, Honesty and decorum are always needed and you have that as I can see from your post. Won't you stay and continue to be the teacher that you are?

ATS may very well be.. becoming mainstream, I don't know I have not been here long enough to determine what it is from what it was. One can only learn that from someone like you. I hope you stay..Cheers coco

reply to post by Tayesin


You've been here for a long time, and you seem like an older man whereas I am still relatively young. With that laid out, I must say you need to man-up and fill the boots for your age and bear with the fact that there are more and more "immature" kiddies on the internet using internet slang (and sometimes use this slang in the real world too, ridiculous). If you are just going to leave due to childish remarks, then well, you are letting it go down the drain to be consumed by the new-age "gamer geeks".

I know what you mean brother. I have been tricked into clicking many stupid threads because it has a ridiculous title. Of course i'm going to click a thread called "OMG!! 100% PROOF Jesus WAS a MIDGET!!!!!", and they know that. Seems like the site is just becoming a popularity contest like everything else.

Also, the number or threads that contain just a quote taken from a news site, and maybe a sentence, seems to be increasing. Those are the worst imo.

But to me, these are just minor annoyances and I don't let it effect my love for ATS. Because there are so many great threads, and posters, I think it just makes the average person seem like an idiot when they try to contribute.

Don't let it get to you man, just try to filter out the bull # and you'll find that the true ATS is still there.

I respect you and I hope you stay around ATS I think people could probably learn from you but everything changes. I look at the younger people being here and think at least there here that says something. I don't know it all thats for sure but I have learned a lot from ATS over the years and people like you that have been around for a while is for sure how I learned allot of what I now know. Don't get me wrong you should never take anyones word for it research it and see for your self as you know, I guess what I'm trying to say is you could help everything be a little better if you stuck around I think.Good luck what ever you do.

There's been so many of these lately, both from newer posters and older. I could interpret this thread's intentions as one of being a star/flag-magnet and as a source for "PLEASE DON'T GO!!" pleas from the members of this forum. Narcissistic intent. So as you can see, you can promote a perception of yourself similar to the people you state you dislike.

reply to post by Tayesin


As a member of less than 2 years but a long time lurker, I have interacted with you several times. I do respect your opinion on lots of different topics and would HATE to see you go permanently. I can understand the need for a break, though.

ATS has definitely changed over the past 8-10 months. I can't put my finger on exactly what the cause of it is, but it's a discernible difference. Maybe the MSM has let people down so terribly that they found ATS as they were looking for a new source of breaking news. Most of the new-comers are also looking for some truth about what's going on in the world, and ATS is definitely the only place to come for truth. Our members never fail to back up their news and info with sources and links. We seem to get a lot of noobies that are looking for sensationalism, but they are short-lived. ATS has a habit of weeding out the looky-loos that aren't serious!

So, take a break and lurk for a while, but please chip in and help out when you see dis-info or confusion. It's what a long-time member and truth-seeker should do, Tayesin!!

reply to post by Tayesin


Seems like one more person is afraid of change. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and are allowed to post any thread they deem worthy of sharing. If people can't accept any other peoples opinions than maybe they should start their own website where it is strictly invite only. I understand that the ''older" population on here wants it to remain the same but can't we all just get along?

Even I will say things have changed, and i haven't been here near as long as you.

I do think however that times are changing too. Without all the stimulation that we are going through a dimensional shift - people seem to be questioning a lot more lately, whether that is 14 year olds making thread with "omg" in them, or sun flare alerts.

I think you will do what best suits you. All the best.... veteran!

Just for the record.....

This thread isn't about getting flags and stars.

This thread isn't about seeking "Don't go's"

This thread is about pointing out the Cancer that has invaded what was once a brilliant Fringe website catering to alternative perceptions

This place is called "Above Top Secret".. it was never intended for the Youth mentality. In fact it kept itself separated from the Popular Mainstream Perceptions that are so prevalent now.

Reminded in the replies of another thing I despise happenign here... mostly Newbies taking it upon themselves to publicly make a claim about what sort of person you are, what your motivations are.. when they do not know you from Adam. To those.... wake up to yourselves.. sometimes there is nothing Intended between the lines... and what oyu think you may see is only Your Perception and not what was Intended.

So can we bring the discussion to where it was Intended?

What is ruining ATS, what is dumbing it down, what is making it more and more mainstream, and what is making it a kiddy playground?

These are what this thread was Intended to discuss.

reply to post by Tayesin


It was never intended for the youth mentality? So what was it intended for? Basement dwelling conspiracy nutters? The people on this forum only have one thing different from the average person on this street, and that is the capability to think outside of the box. If you see kids here typing "OMG" and "LOL" what do you care? Try and get the idea of what they are saying and contribute instead of making another thread proclaiming how ATS is going down-hill and so on.

This isn't an essay writing contest, this is a forum for people to portray their curiousities, most secluded/weird perceptions and ponderings without the fear of a social/political backlash. Sure, the odd thread of the person proclaiming to be a reptilian, or the person believing he is from another dimension, or the person that states that God wants this/that ticks me off and will be met with scrutiny, but that is the process of acceptance/denial! It doesn't mean that ATS is going down-hill, it is just encouraging more out of the box thinking without becoming a ridiculous muppet show.

Back during the creation of this forum, I'm sure most people would have grouped HAARP related topics (I don't believe in haarp=earthquakes, but that is irrelevant) as reptilian-type nonsense. In most cases you want this forum to remain the way it was, you don't want it to progress and reach out for more unbiased, un-institutionalised ideas.

View this new change as an educational experience, and stop being uptight.



I don't mean the previous post or this one as an offensive personal-attack upon you, it is sometimes difficult to convey proper emotion through text-based communication.

reply to post by Tayesin


as a newcomer i can't say for sure i know how this site was when you joined, but i can understand the mindset it was created around. while i will say that i do see a lot of idiotic threads floating about, i choose not to look at them based on the title. i may or may not miss something that could be vital in my search for understanding by doing this, but i doubt that will be the case. with more people comes more thoughts or sources for new or not so new information being presented, whether the information is good or bad is up to you to decide. this site has become a neat little micro-society, wherein you have have main-stream cliques which prefer celebrity topics and the like; on the other side of the fence, however you will have the "older" and seemingly mysterious and "deep" cliques which will talk of the change as a terrible thing. those older members may threaten to leave or start their own site, kinda like a "secret society" trying to preserve its wisdom the only way it knows how. leaving is an option, but the change will follow you no matter where you go. change is the only thing that always happens in the universe.

while my words are meant to encourage you to stay, as you may have many things to say that the newcomers may need to hear one day, i cannot say that you will be happier here than you might be somewhere else. it all depends on how you perceive the change, and whether or not you try and guide the change in the right direction. it is a metamorphosis. it is still the same ATS you joined so long ago, it has just transformed into something that might influence a larger audience.

Yes please don't leave, there are westerners who do genuinly care.
second line!!

reply to post by Tayesin


Tayesin you have me confused.

Since I joined in 2007 I've been hearing about the sheep that need waking up.

You and others have worked hard to wake up the main stream population of the world and open our eyes.

Do you not understand that you have begun to do just that and now you want to bail right when we need guidence for our new members?

You seasoned members are finally seeing the fruits of your effort to enlighten the sheep.

The sheep are waking up and you don't need to leave now.
Your work is not finished.

WE have their attention now lets show them the way.

You are needed.

reply to post by Tayesin


I already did address the issues you pointed out.


Newbie to be registered maybe...but lurking around for awhile.
I don't need guidance from close minded people...I am happy to read the threads that entertain me and make me think and I am capable of ignoring the ones that I don't have any interest in. I don't need to dramatically "quit" ATS to make my point. Do what you do in "real" life. Ignore the ones that you don't care for...if I need to be on your list, so be it. It matters not to me.

Thanks for all replies so far. There's some valid perceptions been offered... so I worked with those that Felt strong to me.

What these pointed me to is that I had lost faith in human beings, and was struggling with admitting it to myself and Feel it. Instead I was fighting it.

My perceptions of late have been we are heading for an Idiocracy style future... maybe not to such an extreme as this movie, but a similar theme.

For many years it has felt as if I was on an island in a sea of excrement that was steadily getting deeper. Three years ago I opened up to Light my "inside", as was normal to do, while in Brisvegas and only to find no Light available "externally". So darkness filled me instead.. and for some time I even wondered if I had been "attacked", although I do not Believe in Victimhood.

I understood then that we are Sponges energetically.. soaking up what is around us all the time... and, wherever large numbers of people live and operate they produce a dark energetic cloud. As sponges we convert this energy when we are strong and buckle under it when we are not.

Youth Culture; It's the more negative and inane aspects of popular youth culture I don't wish to accept. And I see no reason why I Should/Have to. For me to accept it would be to become part of the growing problem. But, this hasn't blinded me to the following....

Some new younger members have shown brilliance. Some of these people have a clarity and depth of perception that helps keep faith in human beings going.. and I thank you for that. Fresh perceptions can be real Gems.

This sort of positive among the younger generations is something I see a little of at times, and I do see a lot of youth culture due to being a parent of a teen girl. I can see some strong characteristics that if used positively would be world changing, and others that are divisive and pointless, and some that are stupid or inane.

Most adults won't admit it, but, we were pretty stupid as teenagers in most cases. We grew out of that, and so will the current youth.

The Forum; while change is the only constant I can rely on, I do not have to accept some changes as being okay.

For years ATS was where I came to find like minds, and others who I could learn from, and some I could help. Sure at times we had a joke or two and tried to stay upbeat in dire conversations. If I wanted to imagine what I would do when vampires or zombies attack, then I would go to another forum that caters for the more inane subjects that weren't catered for here.

That has changed, and yes I do not like it.

Tayesin, no one wants to see you leave including me i know this thread is about my zombie thread and i did it all in fun..I do some serious threads also if you would take the time to look..I'm also 38 years old far from being a kid but ATS is growing and the younger generation is comeing in and I'm glad for it they bring fresh new ideas..I look at some of the threads in ATS and roll my eyes also but if i don't like the thread i just move on to the next I'm not going to put down the young for what they think or say..I think maybe you need to be a bit more tolerant..You bring alot to ATS and it would be ashame for you to leave i even read your posts..But if you feel you cant deal with ATS maybe you should take a break~~peace..sugarcookie

reply to post by Tayesin


in my short time on this site i seen many 'old timers' of ATS voicing unhappiness. most every time, subjects that are part of ATS forums are mentioned. being newer here, i don't know how much this site has changed or expanded, or if it has had the same amount of forum topics since day one.

i think ATS is in the vein of The National Enquirer, The Sun or The Daily Mail. like most of the 'net, taken with a grain of salt.

it would be a great loss to someone of your maturity and honesty leave

it is becoming a bit of a trend lately that more people are coming on and just putting

up any thing up on the boards and usually it has got nothing to do with the things that should

matter to the world in general today especially when thing seem to be hitting the fan big style at the

moment

so please reconsider i might not always agree with what you have to say but would still like to hear it

because the more people like yourself that leave the more pointless thread there will be

so i am asking you to please stay and also to any one else that's thinking of doing the same

thing because if all the good people leave there will be nothing worth coming here for

I kind of agree about where you're coming from - But just remember, for everyone of you, there is someone like this that is still awed by ATS as a website - www.abovetopsecret.com...

Take a break, but if people that do well thought out threads keep leaving this site, it will only get worse. Just thinking out loud...