Over 90% of ATS Don't Have it That Bad at All!

I'm not having a go at over 90% probably only a quarter of regulars on ATS. The thing is. I hear quite often, people complaining about their country and how they live. It is more than fair to complain about the actions of all of our governments as they all have serious flaws and corruption. But to complain about your standard of living in one of these modern countries is absurd. We have it so easy in a lot of these countries. Too easy in fact, and in many different ways.

1. Free education in a lot of countries.
2. Decent medical care actually readily available even if you have to pay.
3. Police. Bad things or not they keep us safe.
4. Fresh Drinking Water for everyone no matter what. (Even if it is polluted with Fluoride and Oestrogen..)
5. A military prepared to defend your right of life. (Although obviously used for bad unfortunately..)
6. Racially tolerant and (Almost) Religiously tolerant.
7. Low murder rates.

The list goes on and on.. we at ATS need to stop bitching about the way we live and what our country is like and instead do the following things;

Seek the truth in anything and everything. Ask questions. Work together in the pursuit of real knowledge and not flame each other.. Debate not decapitate.

And of course, Deny Ignorance.

But above all else we need to recognise how worse a lot of other people who aren't on ATS or the internet live, how our life compares and how lucky we are. In some countries you are lucky to live past the age of 3.. In others you are likely to be shooting other young boys and girls before you have even hit your teens.. In the Congo as a female you could very well get raped before you are a teen, sometimes as an infant or even new born.. In some countries you are likely to be thrown away or even killed at the mere mention of ill feelings towards your government or tyrannical ruler. Again the list goes on and on.

Like I said before this only applies to a lower percentage of ATS. There are many fine, fine members who contribute a lot, have good knowledge and ethic but above all else have great empathy, understanding and patience. It is all these qualities that make ATS a friendly and engaging environment not only for the pros but for the newbies as well. The way some people are going about on ATS makes it intimidating for some new members to start off properly and get into contributing themselves.

Some say ATS has gone to hell but I would strongly disagree! It just needs a little clean up. Only a few changes on behalf of the staff but a lot of changes on behalf of some of the members. If it gets too bad the staff will eventually be forced to turn Nazi and no-one wants a Gestapo style Moderating force.

Ahhh complacency, welcome to the sheep mentality defined.

No, accepting things as "not that bad" is not an acceptable viewpoint, it is the enemy of liberty.

”From Bondage to spiritual faith; spiritual faith to great courage; courage to liberty; liberty to abundance; abundance to complacency; complacency to apathy; apathy to dependence;• and dependence back into bondage.” -Francis Tytler

Originally posted by Tephra
Ahhh complacency, welcome to the sheep mentality defined.

No, accepting things as "not that bad" is not an acceptable viewpoint, it is the enemy of liberty.

No its about appreciation of everything bad and everything good. About not focusing on only our problems when there are other people with a lot worse. That is selfish and naive.

Almost as naive as your post as you completely misunderstood my point and position and flamed me to get stars. This is a perfect example of one of the things I was talking about.

I never once said pull down your pants, bend over and take it.

reply to post by TechUnique


Did you get confused when you arrived here? Did you think this was a forum for discussing how wonderful our new girlfriend is? This is a place of intelligent debate and conspiracy.

I will not abide pacification by comparison. I desire liberty, regardless of what course others take.

reply to post by Tephra


Did you not read my post. That is one of the things that makes ATS and a majority of its members great. But some members need to work on other skills that are important for the atmosphere of ATS to be healthily engaging and productive. Read my OP again you thoroughly misunderstood me.

This is not an example of a productive back and forth.

4 million children - one in three - are currently living in poverty in the UK whilst our Governments siphon away cash for wars and countries overseas. Our Elderly and disabled are either left to rot in so called care, or are simply in a blind panic as to what the future will bring. Our children are not safe, their education is shoddy, our police a heavy handed anthill mob & our Government clowns.

You know I could go on....

And you claim we don't have it that bad? It's not exactly getting any better is it?

BTW, if all you really wanted to do was promote peace, harmony and a dig at certain members here, then why not start with that instead of some odd waffle beforehand that has nothing to do with what you are trying to portray.
Utterly bizarre to claim people don't get your point when you can't seem to make one succinctly..

Hello TechUnique...

I came across this thread, read it, and it is filled with good intentions. Along with serious flaws...

Originally posted by TechUnique

I'm not having a go at over 90% probably only a quarter of regulars on ATS.

And I'm not having a go at you. Just giving my personal opinion based on what I think...

1. Free education in a lot of countries.

I was in college 30 years ago and it was far from being free then...then my kids were in college and it was scary...now, in 2011, the expenses for education would probably get me to have a heart attack ! Free?? No.

2. Decent medical care actually readily available even if you have to pay.

Here in Quebec, it's free unless you would want to go to private and pay. Why would someone do that? Perhaps, just perhaps, one doesn't want to wait 14 hours at the emergency to see a doctor...or wait 11 months for a surgery...I would stay decent if compared with many countries where it just isn't available.

3. Police. Bad things or not they keep us safe.

And in cue. Some guy is brutally beaten by the "force" (strange choice of word no?) on the street and you'll always hear one cop say..."move along please...nothing to see here..." Riiiiiiiight....But yeah, they do keep us safe.

4. Fresh Drinking Water for everyone no matter what. (Even if it is polluted with Fluoride and Oestrogen..)

Tap water? Anyone still drinking that?? Bottled water isn't as bad...just 3$ a litre here...makes gas costs look like peanuts...

5. A military prepared to defend your right of life. (Although obviously used for bad unfortunately..)

You've answered your own idea once again. And I totally agree.

6. Racially tolerant and (Almost) Religiously tolerant.

Nope...and hmmmm...nope. Some of the forums here are just a pale imitation of what really happens in real life.

7. Low murder rates.

Absolutely. That's probably why all my elderly neighbors are afraid to go out at night. And lock their doors with quadruple locks in daytime.

Seek the truth in anything and everything. Ask questions. Work together in the pursuit of real knowledge and not flame each other.. Debate not decapitate.

If I were a mod, I would give you an applause for this line !! Truthful and filled with wisdom !

And of course, Deny Ignorance.

reply to post by TechUnique


yep, i am thankful i live in Australia

Although at the same time i have my complaints and issues but i know it could be much worse depending on what country you are born into.

Always be thankful for what you have because most likely there is someone out there worse off than you. Even in your own country, there are homeless people, people with bad families or up-bringing, drug addicts, alcoholics etc. Sadly alot of the time it's not those peoples fault, it's about how they were raised and the role models in thier life.

Originally posted by SonoftheSun
Hello TechUnique...

I came across this thread, read it, and it is filled with good intentions. Along with serious flaws...

Originally posted by TechUnique

I'm not having a go at over 90% probably only a quarter of regulars on ATS.

And I'm not having a go at you. Just giving my personal opinion based on what I think...

1. Free education in a lot of countries.

I was in college 30 years ago and it was far from being free then...then my kids were in college and it was scary...now, in 2011, the expenses for education would probably get me to have a heart attack ! Free?? No.

2. Decent medical care actually readily available even if you have to pay.

Here in Quebec, it's free unless you would want to go to private and pay. Why would someone do that? Perhaps, just perhaps, one doesn't want to wait 14 hours at the emergency to see a doctor...or wait 11 months for a surgery...I would stay decent if compared with many countries where it just isn't available.

3. Police. Bad things or not they keep us safe.

And in cue. Some guy is brutally beaten by the "force" (strange choice of word no?) on the street and you'll always hear one cop say..."move along please...nothing to see here..." Riiiiiiiight....But yeah, they do keep us safe.

4. Fresh Drinking Water for everyone no matter what. (Even if it is polluted with Fluoride and Oestrogen..)

Tap water? Anyone still drinking that?? Bottled water isn't as bad...just 3$ a litre here...makes gas costs look like peanuts...

5. A military prepared to defend your right of life. (Although obviously used for bad unfortunately..)

You've answered your own idea once again. And I totally agree.

6. Racially tolerant and (Almost) Religiously tolerant.

Nope...and hmmmm...nope. Some of the forums here are just a pale imitation of what really happens in real life.

7. Low murder rates.

Absolutely. That's probably why all my elderly neighbors are afraid to go out at night. And lock their doors with quadruple locks in daytime.

Seek the truth in anything and everything. Ask questions. Work together in the pursuit of real knowledge and not flame each other.. Debate not decapitate.

If I were a mod, I would give you an applause for this line !! Truthful and filled with wisdom !

And of course, Deny Ignorance.

Just for the record I didn't mean everyone here had it easy. I was emphasising on the lack of empathy and other things on this forum by some members. I think some people need to be more considerate of other peoples situations on all sorts of scales.

Originally posted by TechUnique
I'm not having a go at over 90% probably only a quarter of regulars on ATS. The thing is. I hear quite often, people complaining about their country and how they live. It is more than fair to complain about the actions of all of our governments as they all have serious flaws and corruption. But to complain about your standard of living in one of these modern countries is absurd. We have it so easy in a lot of these countries. Too easy in fact, and in many different ways.

Well... Does living in an old house in a tiny apartment on $58 a month sound easy? All My responses will be relative to the US, because that's where I live.

1. Free education in a lot of countries.

To a point - but then any good education (in the US, at least) costs arms and legs. And "good" jobs tend to go to those who had the $ or put Themselves deep into debt. What a way to start a life, deeply in debt from the get-go and hoping One can make enough to handle living AND paying off the debt.

2. Decent medical care actually readily available even if you have to pay.

And if One has no money? I can assure You that as One on temporary assistance, the care I get now is radically different from the care I received under an insurance plan. I even think I may have been chipped against My will...

3. Police. Bad things or not they keep us safe.

Not really. They respond when Our safety has been breached, yes (but in poor neighborhoods, often it is hours and hours after the call). Keeping Us safe? No.

4. Fresh Drinking Water for everyone no matter what. (Even if it is polluted with Fluoride and Oestrogen..)

Wow. "Fresh drinking water" does NOT contain poisons and hormones. Drinking water should contain only natural minerals and not deliberate adulteration or pollution. This point is substantially a fail.

5. A military prepared to defend your right of life. (Although obviously used for bad unfortunately..)

Mostly the military is prepared to slaughter Others in favor of corporations. Defending My right to life by taking Others' who are not attacking Me seems askew.

6. Racially tolerant and (Almost) Religiously tolerant.

I guess...

7. Low murder rates.

Hm. Define "low."

The list goes on and on.. we at ATS need to stop bitching about the way we live and what our country is like and instead do the following things;

Seek the truth in anything and everything. Ask questions. Work together in the pursuit of real knowledge and not flame each other.. Debate not decapitate.

And of course, Deny Ignorance.

Well... I think that, except for Our friendly "neighborhood" shills, We are all doing just this. But it sounds like You are suggesting We not mention issues at home - and if We do not, each will presume Theirs may be the ONLY problem, and become complacent.

But above all else we need to recognise how worse a lot of other people who aren't on ATS or the internet live, how our life compares and how lucky we are.

Yeah. I am aware that there are People who are starving. I have seen the pictures and the footage. But just because there are worse issues Others have does not suggest that Our issues should not be addressed and discussed.

In some countries you are lucky to live past the age of 3.. In others you are likely to be shooting other young boys and girls before you have even hit your teens.. In the Congo as a female you could very well get raped before you are a teen, sometimes as an infant or even new born.. In some countries you are likely to be thrown away or even killed at the mere mention of ill feelings towards your government or tyrannical ruler. Again the list goes on and on.

Yes, it is virtually always possible to find worse than One has. That does not mean the issues faced are less critical in the long run.

Like I said before this only applies to a lower percentage of ATS. There are many fine, fine members who contribute a lot, have good knowledge and ethic but above all else have great empathy, understanding and patience. It is all these qualities that make ATS a friendly and engaging environment not only for the pros but for the newbies as well. The way some people are going about on ATS makes it intimidating for some new members to start off properly and get into contributing themselves.

Can You provide an example...? I have never paid any attention to what Others on a board are doing. I review the T&C, and, within (mostly [wink to mods]) those guidelines, post as I will.

Some say ATS has gone to hell but I would strongly disagree! It just needs a little clean up. Only a few changes on behalf of the staff but a lot of changes on behalf of some of the members. If it gets too bad the staff will eventually be forced to turn Nazi and no-one wants a Gestapo style Moderating force.

Hmmm... If a member behaves poorly here, the mods act. I don't see Gestapo. I see keeping the poor behavior to a minimum. [shrug]

Well said!

I agree with the OP (Techunique) that we should appreciate the good in our lives

But I also agree with the pick-apart from Amaterasu...

All I can really add is my extreme dislike of the ever popular, "there are others worse off than you".

THIS IDEA does not help me.

Knowing there are people dying of cancer, doesn't make my pain any less painful.
Knowing there are starving people, doesn't make me more hungry.
Knowing there are people going without water, doesn't mean I have to drink it just because I can.
Knowing there are people without any medical care available, doesn't mean I'm going to take the drugs they insist will magically fix everything wrong with me (only a dozen or so possible side effects that are worse than your original symptoms, go on! trust us!!)

I can appreciate my life while complaining about the pain. I can appreciate that I have food on my table, but I'm not going to finish it if I'm not freakin hungry. If I get thirsty enough I'll drink water if I have to, but I'm shooting for some coffee otherwise, cause water sucks. I appreciate if I have chest pains I can call an ambulance, but I think its pure BS that I have to wait 45 minutes in the office just because the doctor double books all his 15 minute appointments (I worked in several Dr.'s offices and thats EXACTLY what they do).

So while you both have great posts and points - they still go hand in hand. Two sides of the coin.

There is always good and bad to everything, with lots of shades of gray in between.

reply to post by TechUnique


my life feels kush.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a better life for yourself and your community, even if you're high in the echelons of society.

Low murder rates?

Uhhhh go live in an American ghetto, like Cleveland or Detroit and see if you say that for long.

There is more to life than just your sheltered reality.

Originally posted by TechUnique

Seek the truth in anything and everything. Ask questions. Work together in the pursuit of real knowledge and not flame each other.. Debate not decapitate.

And of course, Deny Ignorance.

This is something that I will agree with from your post but the rest of it, in my opinion, is worthless material for this website. I understand the point that you are trying to make, but to say that someone doesn't have it "that bad" is absurd, no matter that living status of your country.

Each person on this planet experiences a different path towards evolution. We all share common feelings/emotions. Everyone knows what love is, fear, pain, lust, confusion, desire, sadness, happiness, etc, etc. We each have experienced something equal to one another, no matter what the circumstance was. When you judge someone else for their experience, you are only judging yourself. When you think someone should stop complaining about their life, it is really you wishing to be grateful for your life.

I am not personally trying to attack you, sorry if it comes out that way, but you should follow your advice and seek truth in everything. When you do, you will see that each person's action is because of you. This is your universe that you have created to live out your karma so you can "wake up" once again. So look inward and ask yourself, "Why am I not seeing the big picture? Why do I think I have it so bad?"

reply to post by TechUnique


Bravo! Your detractors will look like fools!

simply put.. No.

not at all..

Originally posted by mnmcandiez
Low murder rates?

Uhhhh go live in an American ghetto, like Cleveland or Detroit and see if you say that for long.

There is more to life than just your sheltered reality.

You conveniently forget that what we call murder here is not punished in much of the world. The fact we lock up our criminals is not a bad thing. Those who do not is a bad thing.

For example Mexico, China where the State commits the murders, the Middle East where murderers are celebrated and never punished; need I go on?

Our problems are mostly the results of bad parents and poorly run schools. To even go hungry here you must want to go hungry. I was homeless for a short time in the 1980's and found out I could sleep in a bed every night and eat as often as five times a day, not to mention free tokens for the bus to find work, clean clothing and kind people at charities that let me use them as an address and use their phone numbers. Those who say otherwise are damn liars.

It is a shame some here actually think the US is like it's presented here because they are wrong. Truly a shame. Angry people hate wherever they happen to live at the moment because they hate themselves.

This reminds me of the "world is getting better" thread. We can seek out better all we like. We can champion for causes, fight for the right and shriek until our voices are horse and our throats are raw and bloody. And bad things will still happen. Not because people deserve for them to or dont. Not because certain people are in power or because certain countries are pissed off....but because It rains on the just and the unjust alike. I understand what the OP is trying to say and while I am willing to take life's triumphs as well as setbacks with aplomb, I will continue to try and make my voice heard because I believe that even if this is all a game...having the same people win all the time is lame. change can be brought to many things, but being on here I see there are *some* people with very unrealistic expectations and a sheltered view of how the world really works. I agree that the learning is important. The seeking of truths because they will help you better understand the game that is played and what your own personal limitations and strengths are.