WHY BOTHER ?

The question “Why bother ?” was raise by a member posting on one of the threads recently. He was referring to why bother posting on ATS when it had become apparent to him that usually the threads contain an over abundant number of negative comments, most of the time from the first few responders. It was his conclusion that “Trolls” lie in wait with the purpose of de-railing logical discussion of the subject matter at hand.

I, too have had this very same experience several times, as I know many of you have had as well.

Trolls, paid dis-information agents, DOD, or just negative persons, who they are really doesn’t matter. What their agenda is doesn’t matter. These people are to be pitied by the rest of us.

Take a moment and wear their shoes, just for a brief moment. Think about it, They have no friends, they are incapable of making friends, and the only Human contact they have is when one of us begins to argue in return. Very sad life indeed, would you not say.

Pity, that is what is called for.

So, next time this happens to you, time a moment and visualize this poor soul sitting in front of his keyboard spewing hate and discontent and imagine how empty life is for this poor creature.

The only advice I can offer is, just don’t allow yourself to be baited. We cannot control anyone’ actions but our own. It does take a lot of will power to ignore the insults and not allow oneself to become a pawn in this game, but in doing so you will remove the substance that these poor souls crave. Soon they will die of starvation or seek more fruitful hunting grounds.

Why Bother ?

let me add this, and I think I speak for each of us here at ATS.

We welcome all points of view even those that are in disagreement with ourselves, but only those that concern the subject matter involved in the discussion, laid out in a logical cohesive argument. ATS offers a place that each of us can come TOGETHER and discussion a wide range of topics and be exposed to opinions from a very diverse group, which strengthens all of us.

We don’t need to agree on everything, but we do need to be focused.

Thanks for your time listening to my RANT.

Originally posted by brokedown
Thanks for your time listening to my RANT.

And what a waste it was. What was it you wanted to say? Everyone who doesn't agree with you is a troll or 'disinfo agent' without friends? Great!

The 'they have no friends and are to be pittied' is a very, very lame 'argument' because the same way i could say, those people here who spend hours upon hours of discussing and creating page-long topics also deserve pity because obviously, they don't have friends or a real life and therefor spend most of their time in front of the PC discussing topics...even the most obvious ufo hoax topics have 20-30 pages with the same people lamenting about it. How sad is that?

Besides, i think you and other people overrate ATS by a huge margin. DisInfo Agents? Does anyone really believe, that the government of whichever country (or all combined? that would be something) spent money on people whose job it is to well disagree with people about topics 75% of the world doesn't believe in? Why? What for? Most people in the world don't even know that ATS exists.
It would be a complete waste of time and money.

If anything the people, who get labeled as disinfo agents are just people who don't believe in every 'Uh, theres TPTB and they are evil - we never seen them, don't even know if something like that exists but yeah, they're evil....EVIL i say!' and 'HAARP is responsible for earthquakes and it's so powerful that they only occur in those places where it's natural for earthquakes' and other things that makes me wonder how people can believe. (I believe in HAARP when an 8+ earthquake destroys Berlin )

So the question is: Why can't the 'believers' accept other people, without calling them trolls, agents or any other disdainful term?

reply to post by ShadowAngel85


All right, fair enough, you don't understand the purpose of his rant. I may not either, but may I offer a possible explanation?

Disagreement is generally a healthy thing and to be applauded. One person says something, another disagrees with the facts, or analysis, or some other part of it. The first person considers the objection and modifies his position accordingly and explains why he thinks the second person's objection is not valid.

But you know all this, I don't mean to be condescending. But when the disagreement is disrupted by hate, shouting, irrelevancies, and other attacks on the conversation it becomes worthless and the question becomes "Why bother putting enrgy and thought into a discussion only to see it destroyed? Why bother casting pearls before swine?"

My writing must have not conveyed the message I intended to have communicated, and for this I apologize.

The purpose of this rant was to communicate that we should not allow the negative comments received to affect our input at ATS. That we should not take the name calling, the hate filled speech personally. It has nothing to do with us it is only a reflection of the poor soul spewing out that type of hate and discontent.

When some of our fellow members allow this negativity to restrict their input, this weakens all of us.

The ATS member who had asked the rhetorical question “Why Bother?”, sparked this rant and was intended to be an answer to that question. I, too have experience the same thought, as I am sure many have.

So, “Why Bother” is answered by , yes we should “Bother”, don’t allow the hate-mongers to affect your input.

Those of us that value the service provided by ATS must become examples to the rest of the community and refuse to engage in a tit-for-tat negative rebuttal and take the effort to be civil with one another.

reply to post by brokedown



S and F

and your 1st reply proving your point?
priceless.

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


Thank you !

People like everyone to think they know it all, so no matter what the op says, there will always be someone there to contradict and fight them on everything they say. Happens way to frequently

Originally posted by brokedown
The purpose of this rant was to communicate that we should not allow the negative comments received to affect our input at ATS.

This, whilst inherently romantic, is only half true ... it is just as true as if you had said: "The purpose of this rant was to communicate that we should not allow the positive comments received to affect our input at ATS."

For it is impossible to choose to only be affected by one and not the other (though people of naive virtue do try in vain) ... the choice is to express one's self seeking validating/challenging/whatever kind of responses or expressing one's self for its own merit.

If one is expressing one's self seeking or expecting a specific type or response, they should always be mindful that expectations are the building blocks of disappointment, and 'why bother' will be a recurring question.

If one is expressing one's self for its own merit/virtue, without personal stake in their expressed thoughts, then the question 'why bother' is moot, for under this premise they are not bothering, they are just being ... and when they stop being moved to post they just stop, but not because they stop bothering but simply because they aren't moved to do so.

Post/express unconditionally and without expectations, or not, but 'bothering' to do anything is actually about the botherer not the botheree.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Perhaps the rant was directed towards those who, instead of putting forward helpful criticism of the issue at hand, instead choose to respond with sarcasm, ridicule and vitriol.

Those are also legion.