ATS is ALL THE SAME

Maybe you just think there's so many liberals because we keep changing our avatars...


[Edited on 17-8-2004 by RANT]

Dr. S, I'm at about the same place as you are as far as ATS is concerned. Maybe it will get better after the election and then we won't have all this blind hatred (yes, hatred) flying around. Until then, I've pretty much stopped posting or even reading all the crap that some people spew. Like you, I have found certain posters to be very predictable, biased, and laughable in their attempts to demonize whoever they have decided is their personal enemy, and if I see they have authored a post, I just don't even bother to check it out.

Some of these posts, like the ones that degenerate into talk of killing national leaders are just wrong and stupid, but look how many people are ready to jump on that bandwagon when the usual drivers turn it their way again. Do you honestly want someone to assassinate the President of the United States? Then you are no better than what you claim to dispise.

It's sad, but I have lost a lot of respect for the ATS membership in the last few months. I think the site itself is great and I think the Moderators do a fine job for the most part, but so much of what gets posted now days is just such utter nonsense that I find myself unwilling to waste my time dredging through the partisan, nationalistic, or religious garbage to find the few kernals of good information.

Like I said, after the elections, when the partisanship has cleared, maybe it will get better. We can hope it will and that ATS won't become just another hate site populated by ill-mannered teenagers.

Originally posted by RANT
Maybe you just think there's so many liberals because we keep changing our avatars...

[Edited on 17-8-2004 by RANT]

I dont ...



[Edited on 17-8-2004 by Pisky]

I never understood the liberal BS but I guess I most be liberal because once I found out how to change avatars I do it every other day.

For being tire of ATS I am an addict and people silly comment and nonsense is just part of the way people is.

Yes sometimes I become silly too, and sometimes my more serious post go unnoticed and yes sometimes I wish it was more seriousness on some of the threads post. I am not here for the points or the applause I am here for the chance to express my views and Idea with others even if we disagreed.

I am complaining no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Never this is part of what it makes ATS and I love it.

I wish people will post more often so I can keep on going.

Leave ATS the way it is, for some, you have the choice to take or leave it or just go on vacation.

Originally posted by marg6043

I am here for the chance to express my views and Idea with others even if we disagreed ...

Leave ATS the way it is, for some, you have the choice to take or leave it or just go on vacation.

Excellent sentiments, Marg - I completely agree.

Its all well and good for people to offer constructive comments that could make our time here even more enjoyable, but what really pixes me off are those who just whine for the sake of whining. If all someone can do is whinge, then maybe they're on the wrong board.

It's really just swings and roundabouts. I've seen many posts proclaiming ATS to be full of right wing zealots or left wing nutters in my time here. It changes all the time. Personally I think it's pretty equal at the moment, but thats just me.

Originally posted by Pisky


Its all well and good for people to offer constructive comments that could make our time here even more enjoyable, but what really pixes me off are those who just whine for the sake of whining. If all someone can do is whinge, then maybe they're on the wrong board.

Am I on the wrong board Pixie?

Am I just "whinging?"

Are you whinging about my whinging?

Maybe I have something valid to say, even if it's not what you'd like to hear; isn't that what I'm being told about people's stuff that I am impatient with, a little toleration?

So, only SOME of my comments are welcome . . .

(see my first post in this thread)

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft
Am I on the wrong board Pixie?

Am I just "whinging?"

Are you whinging about my whinging?

Maybe I have something valid to say, even if it's not what you'd like to hear; isn't that what I'm being told about people's stuff that I am impatient with, a little toleration?

So, only SOME of my comments are welcome . . .

(see my first post in this thread)

Honestly I didn't see anywhere that he was directing his comments at you.
As to the state of thing here, it goes in cycles. Some days there's little here that interests me, some days I can't keep up.

A really good test of what has happened at ATS is to spend a day reading nothing but Topics from say March 2003 and before.

Look at the level of analysis present then and the qualities in them and the reasoned discussion going on, and that many members took the issue of posting their opinions and presenting their arguments more seriously and with respect for their audience.

Today is in stark contrast when you look at what is possibly a majority of contributions. The argument has been presented many times that it is the members and their own standard of contribution that makes up the quality of what is here; it is not for the owners or "staff" to determine that.

No biggie, there are many bulletin boards on the WWW and many more academic and demanding forums than what is presented here. There are no known equilibria for quantity and quality, you just get what you pay for and enjoy what you will.

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft
Maybe I have something valid to say, even if it's not what you'd like to hear; isn't that what I'm being told about people's stuff that I am impatient with, a little toleration?

I know how you are feeling, I am sure many have felt it too. What got me through it is once you recognize those who derive pleasure from attacking your views on any subject, accept that this is going to happen, by all means post your viewpoint in your own way and when the trashing begins, just move on to another topic. Don't get sucked into a bashing match if you do not care for this activity. Some think that getting in the last word means they have won something, let them have their prized victory, it does not reflect on your opinions.

I have actually gotten quite adept at tuning out the subtle attacks, and can still find that I can learn something new here every day, and this is the main reason I participate on ATS.

Learn to tune out what offends you and you will see that there is still much to gain by participating in ATS.... My two cents for ya, hang in there and I hope to learn something from you in the future...

Actually, I find myself in your situation too Strangecraft. I don't consider myself either right or left wing. I have a liberal leaning on some things, conservative on some things. Usually, it's jsut flat-out teenage apathy. However, anytime ANYONE opens their mouthes about anything around here, it generally dissolves into a democrat vs. republican brawl. You can't state anything without being this, or that, or attacked in soem way. I'm holding off posting until well after the election.

Don't feel left out. There's still reasonable people out there. It's like diamons in a big pile of mud- you gotta get your hands dirty to find the people who really shine. And be prepared to move aside an awful lot of filth.

This place is degenerating into a politcal board.

DE

[Edited on 17-8-2004 by DeusEx]

Looks like someone could use a vacation.

I have also reached this point for a SECOND time.

I've been feeling the same way about people on all sides who degenerate good thoughts and posts into a mudsligning campaign. The good people who were here a while back seem to be staying away. Maybe it's just summer.

I thought that the Campaign 2004 Issues forum would cure me. But I posted at least 5 topics and most of them did not generate a response, (Oil, Budget Deficit & Debt, Treaty Violations and Biotechnology for example) and the thread that did was another battle between certain members (Social Security).

I too really enjoyed the Evil Genius thing and you are one of the posters I respect. And even though I do not always agree with your points I always appreciate the effort you take to make them.

It's good to be appreciated no?

I enjoyed the responses to this thread and genreally agree with them. Which makes me hope that ATS will get better after the US election. So I will lurk around for a while and take breaks. I have been posting less (though today was a good ATS session for me) and when a poster gets out of hand I will either ignore them and move on, or sometimes make the effort.

I'm not sure how I am being received here, but I sure hope it is not as you described in your post.

Damn some people here take ATS and themselves waaaaayyyyyyy too seriously in my opinion.

It's just a #en message board people.

Herman, I'm talking in generalities... but you bring an interesting point up. You say we've "argued" before, but I've not argued with anyone. I state my opinion. Others state theirs. I add in my thoughts on the new post, and so on. I don't consider it arguing because that would indicate something very negative. Even if it's something I get riled about, I try not to present it as argumentative. People (not you) often take a post apart almost sentence by sentence, many times out of context of the big meaning, and disect it. That's just not necessary so much of the time. That, to me, is being argumentative. I see your posts and opinions and I don't see an argument. I see a different viewpoint. Maybe I'll give mine and it will make you reconsider or research more deeply into why you have yours... and vice versa.

I think some people come with all the answers and try to do everyone the favor of blessing the masses with the fruits of their massive intellect. Others come with their thoughts and data and try to see what other people think of the same subject. That's what I'm basically here for. It's a good place to get a wide array of opinions and viewpoints. Not from tv advertising, not from government, not from a localized bunch of people who all think the same thing. When it sucks, it really sucks... but when it's good, it's great. Like all things of this nature.

Even being one of the liberals on this site (although i'm conservative on a couple things), I can relate to this...the left right mud slinging gets really old sometimes. That, however, is one of the more enjoyable things on this site...what really gets old are the topics that say things like "OMG! Reptilians to take over NYC!" or "Something bad is going to happen on [insert random date]".

Sometimes I read conspiracy or political posts that seem so outrageous or idiotic, that I wonder if the person is really serious, or if they are just trying to fish for crazy people on this website to amuse themselves. Recently I haven't been posting as much, just skimming the site for interesting topics..unfortunately those are much harder to find than they used to be.

One thing regarding right/left arguments, is you have to remember that we are still US citizens, and whether someone is liberal or conservative, they still want what is best for our country...it's just that we have differing opinions on what really is the best for the USA and its people. What it comes down to, is that we are all on the same team (hopefully), the United States...and arguments and new ideas are the only things that will help us grow. We are separated by ideas and opinions, but united by all being pro-USA...even though it sometimes seems like the "other side" is against us. Diversity is the one special thing about the United States, it's good to have left/right, but we're all in this thing together...peace out. lol

Originally posted by Shoktek
One thing regarding right/left arguments, is you have to remember that we are still US citizens, and whether someone is liberal or conservative, they still want what is best for our country...it's just that we have differing opinions on what really is the best for the USA and its people. What it comes down to, is that we are all on the same team (hopefully), the United States...

Says who??????

National boundaries and myopic nationalistic viewpoints hold back human progress. Take your pick on what globalism looks like and whether you want a positive form with people having regard for each other and the planet, or the options promulgated by corporate industrial-miltary globalists. The "good ol' US of A" is just a temporary phenomenon, nothing sacred in it at all.

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft

Am I on the wrong board Pixie?

Am I just "whinging?"

Are you whinging about my whinging?

Maybe I have something valid to say, even if it's not what you'd like to hear; isn't that what I'm being told about people's stuff that I am impatient with, a little toleration?

Actually, as Intrepid noted earlier, my comments were not aimed at you. They were aimed primarlily against those who join ATS/BTS and then almost instantly start whining.

The people who create or hijack threads with comments such as "Why was I warned ?", "This mod is a nazi", "That member is an idiot". They are the ones I have no time for.

Personally, I have found your posts to be well thought out and lucid arguments. Whereas I haven't always agreed with you, I certainly don't consider you a 'whinger'.

ATS is ALL THE SAME!

It's really not. At least until I merge all 44,520 topic threads from 2004 (excluding BTS) into one super thread!

Then it will all be the same. And my work on your planet done.