ATS, Class of '11

Hi ATS.

I was noticing something weird. It seems like different users come in "clumps." Like, there seem to be a whole lot of people I recognized who signed up around the same time as me or maybe a little earlier this year. I call these posters "the class of '11", as if they were a high school class or something. Because we all arrived here around the same time. I start to see a lot of these people in the threads I'm in, they have similar post counts to me, and I feel like they are my ATS "peers."

Then if you look at the WATS posters, seems like they are in an older "class," maybe the Class of '08 or'09 for the most part I guess. And then there are the REAL old-timers you see every now and then, like the Class of '05 or earlier. These pople all seem to know each other, hang out in the same threads with each other, and sometimes give off the same intimidating vibe to relative noobs (like me) as HS seniors give off to HS frieshmen. Not intentionally of course, but when I see all those gold and silver borders it feels...kinda heavy somehow.

Anyone else know what I mean? Do you have a "peer group" of posters you sort of identify with who have been around the same time as you? And do you somehow find yourself posting more often with these people even if you don't consciously intend to, like hanging out with people of the same class in high school?

reply to post by Partygirl


No, we are all here for relatively the same purpose, to deny ignorance

You will realize that the people here are seeking knowledge and truth, just as you are, and the borders will loosen.


(Though oddly, I seem to have registered around when you did... I'm just as new--newer in fact)

Hmmm, dunno. You might just be a victim of the autism. Jus' sayin'.

Originally posted by JeffMagnetic
Hmmm, dunno. You might just be a victim of the autism. Jus' sayin'.

I doubt it, I don't have the autistic personality type lol. Not a chess champeon or a compulsive arranger of pennies on my desk by date.

I'm a weirdo tho, no doubt about it.

Interesting thread you've started. I've been a lurker for approx 5 years, but it took the Japan Crisis forum to actually get me to sign up and post at ATS. I think of all my posts, around 800 of them have been in one thread alone, in that forum. I then found myself start to feel comfortable enough to post in other forums here.

I can't decide if I'm truly a newbie, or an oldie, who just got emotional enough to register to express my point of view in a particular forum. It all boils down to ATS, is a varied and mixed bag...I always seem to find a thread/forum that grabs me and sends me on a whirl wind ride....sometimes I buy a ticket on that ride, and actually post in that thread.

Des

reply to post by Partygirl


My name is Swills and I like to party! Is our class gonna have a prom or at least a graduation party? I like to party!

reply to post by Swills


Yeah but you are obligated to wear your Darth Vader outfit! If you bring the Britta and Iron you get an extra point.

Originally posted by Partygirl

Originally posted by JeffMagnetic
Hmmm, dunno. You might just be a victim of the autism. Jus' sayin'.

I doubt it, I don't have the autistic personality type lol. Not a chess champeon or a compulsive arranger of pennies on my desk by date.

I'm a weirdo tho, no doubt about it.

We should definitely hang out, hot schtuff.

Did you notice the 4 people who have responded to your thread joined from March to July of 2011?
Interesting, may be proving your point in your OP or it could be coincidence or the fact you have ATS 2011 in your title, who knows though. I just found it entertaining for a little to say the least, lol.

oh man my class of ATS must be far behind me, I mean look at me now I got a job with a drill.

reply to post by Lysergic


A dentist then, I knew the lysergic was useful for a reason

Bzzzzzz *runs away*

reply to post by theUNKNOWNawaits


I noticed that, I also joined in May

It makes me think 2 things - they need to either get on the ball with posting - or I have a serious problem

Originally posted by Lysergic
oh man my class of ATS must be far behind me, I mean look at me now I got a job with a drill.

edit on 1-8-2011 by Lysergic because: (no reason given)

You old fogey.

reply to post by Partygirl

Anyone else know what I mean? Do you have a "peer group" of posters you sort of identify with who have been around the same time as you? And do you somehow find yourself posting more often with these people even if you don't consciously intend to, like hanging out with people of the same class in high school?

Nope not me, were I walk, I walk alone.... Usually.

How I found this site is pretty much like everybody found this site.

I was bored one day and kind of depressed and decided to surf the net, and look for interesting stuff, then while surfing I was reading up on this and that, and one of the topics that came up were cults.

So I thought to myself. "That sounds like it might be fun, I need to join a cult" And so after many a different topics and sites later I eventually ended up on this site, and within like minutes of just looking around I signed up and bam.

Now I am in a sort of a cult, and I even have my own tin foil hat. though this cult is really not nowhere near as nutty as some of the other cults out there, but that's ok, it makes it up by being more funny.

Now I have been in many a cult trough out time, some wear fancy suits and believe in paper gods. And some wear fancy hats and believe in sky gods and in invisible men and such. And some wear fancy robes and believe in things that they cant understand. And many more cults at that. And they all alike believe in weird and silly things, and they have all went on to become bigger cults with more people in them. But really I was just passing through, to kill the time and never really belonged.

As it is right now I really I need to stop spending so much time on the internet and ATS and get a life. And eventually I will do that, but my magic 8-ball says that it wont be anytime soon. Though I don't hang out, I usually gravitate toward some people and there posts and threads, which is a really weird thing to do.

But I have a cat avatar and so I must honer it, and be curious. And so I usually read whats interesting on ATS no matter who posts it, or what there join date is.

Originally posted by Partygirl
These pople all seem to know each other, hang out in the same threads with each other, and sometimes give off the same intimidating vibe to relative noobs (like me) as HS seniors give off to HS frieshmen. Not intentionally of course, but when I see all those gold and silver borders it feels...kinda heavy somehow.

Don't be intimidated by the silver/gold borders.

They do not mean those members are all knowing, just that they have contributed alot of time and energy here. I even think a few of the top 50 wats are there just becuase they made the first thread of a significant event like 911, Fukushima, etc. You get lucky sometimes as some members did.

reply to post by Partygirl


I honestly don't fit in with any of that, probably because even in school I never really got intimidated by older kids. Only difference is, on ATS I can put on my serious and intelligent hat and in school and away from places like ATS I've always been known as the goofball with the surreal humour.

OP that's a great way of putting things from my own member view. No doubt every staff member is a brother/sister (yes some are both lol) to me but I also relat to what you are saying.

I joined ats in like the first couple months of 2004. People like dtom, intrepid, fredt, dbates (could go on for a loooong time) and many many others I feel like are from my class in school. SO, springer, Byrd, alien, zed WOS(rip) were all mentors of mine the way I see it. Much respect *taps chest with fist* (that's my poser street lingo).

I know I named a ton of staff but they weren't always.

I have noticed this too.

Quite odd but then maybe you see patterns if your looking for them?

I would be part of the class of '11. I'm sad I didn't join sooner but I guess I've always been more of a lurker at heart. I read a lot more than I contribute.

reply to post by curious7



Did you wait for ages till you could get 'Registered: 11/1/11'?