Why Do You Insist On Doing This?

It seems in every forum on ATS, there is always "that guy" that's on every thread made that has to do with a particular subject. Obviously some of you have come across people like this. There is always someone trying to discredit something or continuously go on threads shouting : where's the PROOF, PROOF!! Even though they truly know some of the things their asking proof of cannot be provided by the average person posting about them, and yet they insist on belittling everyone instead of having a decent conversation about what they think of it. They drive the thread into the ground.

There is always a guy on the Aliens & UFOs forum, the Geo-Engineering forum, the Ron Paul threads etc. trying to make fun of or talk bad about them.

Now I know what your going to hit me with - "We're allowed to do this, stop complaining".

I'm not complaining people. I'm simply asking why do you do such things. You GET no where doing them in the first place. You know who you are. But sometimes, I think you don't know your actually doing it. Go look at your posts from 2-3 months back. Or 4-5 months for some of you.

Maybe you like the subject in general, but don't be the person constantly saying in a way; Shut up. You make no sense, I'm going to do this to every thread because you believe in this but I don't.

reply to post by Vandettas


I've thought about this many times. I'd first like to state that I don't personally do this, but I've been on the receiving end of posters you're speaking about.

I've come to a few conclusions:
1. They actually are paid to discredit believers.
2. They get their rocks off by doing this. Bullying is an exchange of energy and upsetting someone makes them feel more powerful.
3. The thought of UFOs, aliens, geo-engineering is too scary for them, so they retaliate as a means of quelling their own fears as well as finding those who have their same beliefs. As soon as you don't feel as alone in your thoughts, you are more comforted.
4. They are bored and have nothing better to do or they haven't had any affection in a long time.
5. They have been programmed to NOT think outside the box.
6. They trust their/our "leaders" way too much.
7. They don't believe that history repeats itself nor believe the saying "science fiction becomes science fact".
8. They actually believe that the govenrments of this world are keeping things secret for a reason, so they know better and it MUST be for our own good.
9. They are of a lower intelligence.
10. They are a bot and not a real person at all.

These are the reasons I've come up with. I hope it makes sense to you.
Good thread and yet another mystery among mysteries.

I've always thought that the atheists posting about how deluded theists are was a complete waste of their time.

Why bother?

Fair point - and it can be annoying.

I think the issue is that whilst some thing with emotion, others think with logic - a further subset think with both.

That means that what is posted here by someone of one mindset needs to meet the mindsets of all others - which is never going to happen.

Unfortunately, given the nature of the forum, its incredibly easy to make a claim about something without initially providing evidence. It is in the interests of an OP to substantiate claims, to legitimise the claim itself.

One must remember that it is better to vigourously scrutinise something to reach the truth, than blindly accept it and risk reaching a falsehood.

reply to post by Afterthought


Thats the trouble though, in fairness. All your reasons are negative, critical reasons. At university, someone trying to prove something on a Physics doctorate is scrutinised by superiors not because they are 'of lower intellect' or 'bored', but because it is through constructive criticism that real progress is made.

reply to post by ComeFindMe


I get where you're going and I agree. I'm speaking specifically about those who aren't able to contribute to a debate and remain mature. I'm speaking only about those who become abusive.

I can respect anyone who has a different view as mine, but as soon as they try to belittle me because I have differing views or have come to a conclusion they don't agree with, you are called names and your intelligence is questioned.

Mature debates seem to be few and far between in certain forums.

Plus, I really hate it when you post what you believe is evidence and a person attacks your evidence when you know dam well that they couldn't have read it in the time between when you posted it and when they replied.

reply to post by Afterthought


That's fair enough. I think that the atmosphere on many forums isnt condusive to debate - more the tooing and froing of rhetoric. Case in hand would be the American Election forum - debates get snuffed out with generic dross from BOTH sides. Ultimately, the people that lose out are newbies who are put off or individuals who want to challenge how they themselves think .

Some people hide behind a facade of a call to logic to basically promote themselves.

The majority of what I see on ATS isn't to encourage a poster to support their argument. It's done only to tell them to shutdown, go away, or quit.

AKA...trolls.

reply to post by ComeFindMe


Absolutely. I enjoy a mature debate even if it becomes heated.
The first sign that you're winning is when the other person resorts to personal attacks. If they aren't able to discredit your evidence, their only option is to discredit you.

Another thing that I see and have experienced is the gang activity on certain forums. I wish ATS would crack down on this. After all, it is in the T&Cs that ganging up on someone will not be tolerated, yet I've never seen someone get shut down by a mod for this. I wonder if they are friends in real life and give them a call to log in or do they shoot them a U2U and tell them they need them on such and such thread?
One really has to wonder.

reply to post by Vandettas


people just love trolling, its a sad reality.


people are at home drooling for the next big troll they will commit...

its insanity.

it would be nice if those people just went away.

an example of a normal situation:

wheres the proof? meh whatever, ( if real ) then cool wow thats interesting.

troll situation:

FAKE NO PROOF

OP: well thats all i know, this this and that because, etc.

troll: NO NO FAKE NOOB

thread ruined.


its so annoying.

reply to post by Afterthought


it would be cool if the OP (original poster) had the ability to block certain people, and remove posts that they saw fit.

(within reason) so that trolls would be rendered useless.


trolls would also abuse this and post something crazy and make seperate accounts a hundred times over and make their topic popular, and delete anyone...

mass deleting would cause an alarm and the user would be stopped somehow...

but then trolls would do this to good people trying to get rid of them....


this is really complicated.


every time someone trolls in my thread im just going to reply with "disinfo troll detected"

Trouble is chaps, one man's troll is another man's (internet) freedom fighter

reply to post by ComeFindMe


it would be nice if every thread to have a button for people that disagree or have their own side story opinion.

clicking the button would allow them to create a counter argument attached to the thread through a link to a sub thread, so that they could show their case without disrupting the case of the original poster.

that would be pretty cool in my honest opinion.

reply to post by SoymilkAlaska


But wouldn't that just further cement people's own opinions?

I think its great that you cvan have two or three opinions in as many posts - its up to the reader to determine their own view based on the options available.

I suspect many wouldnt bother looking at the alternative view threads and simply entrench their view more than they do now.

Originally posted by Vandettas
I'm not complaining people. I'm simply asking why do you do such things. You GET no where doing them in the first place.

First of all, it sure sounds like you're complaining Second, there are "those people" on both sides of every argument that think they can "prove" their argument by belittling and personally attacking those on the other side. That just leads to pointless, immature bickering. However, there are "those other people" that are simply trying to bring balance to arguments and point out things like making bold statements with zero proof is well below the ATS standard and should be avoided, and typically the people that bring such wisdom to threads are dismissed as whiners that are interfering with "free thought". THAT is what I find annoying. Just because this is a conspiracy site does not mean that every crackpot should be allowed to parade around their own thoughts and delusions as legitimate facts, and that we should believe them just based on their word. ATS has standards and when those standards are not met it is INCUMBENT upon the other members to point it out.

Originally posted by WickettheRabbit
Some people hide behind a facade of a call to logic to basically promote themselves.

The majority of what I see on ATS isn't to encourage a poster to support their argument. It's done only to tell them to shutdown, go away, or quit.

AKA...trolls.

Those are the people that drive me nuts.

The ones who belittle your "reading comprehension" or pick apart your words; the ones who criticize aspects of your personality that can't possibly be judged by reading your posts; the ones who call people names such as "ignorant", "slaves", or "sheeple".

WHEN can those types of replies EVER lead to a better discussion? Never.

Originally posted by SoymilkAlaska
reply to post by ComeFindMe

 

it would be nice if every thread to have a button for people that disagree or have their own side story opinion.

clicking the button would allow them to create a counter argument attached to the thread through a link to a sub thread, so that they could show their case without disrupting the case of the original poster.

that would be pretty cool in my honest opinion.

You know what I'd like to see? A "thumbs down" button. We see by the stars how many people think the post has merit; I'd like to see by thumbs down how many people disagree.

Probably it is because people are different. If i say something without any proof i consider it being a mere hypothesis and describe it as an opinion only.
So when i see someone posting things without any proof and without staing that it is only an opinion, i assume that there is a proof that OP simply forgot to show. And i ask for one.
Some probably have different approach and feel that stating what they feel is truth is enough and gives it all the credibility it needs. I do not say that it is bad. I just say that not everyone thinks like this and this is the reason for confusion.
Oh, and there are trolls. That too.

reply to post by GeorgiaGirl


Great idea - it would also discourage people making ill thought out comments - i'd hope, anyway!

That would also get around the name calling - if someone says something idiotic, then thumbs down!

reply to post by ZeroKnowledge


That's a good way of summarising - we live in an age where every word can be picked upon and its presumed that bold statements are supported by stout evidence. So, when that evidence isnt presented, there is a hope that it actually exists - indeed, its probably quite fair to ask for the evidence instead of presuming it doesnt exist!