What's ATS turning into?!

Seriously guys, a lot of you are screwing this place up big time. Back when I first joined, this website was about intelligently discussing topics, learning from them, and moving on. Now it's turned into "ALIENS WILL INVADE NEXT MONTH" and other BS like that. Seriously, take a look at this thread for example.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

130+ flags and look at all those stars. All for displaying ignorance (the very thing this website was meant to DENY, hence the slogan), pseudo scientific claims, and completely unsupported 'evidence'!

It wouldn't be half as bad if people actually LISTENED, LEARNED, and took REALITY into consideration, but all I see are the same ignorant claims (like that the moon landing was a hoax....) over and over again like some kind of horrible tape caught on a loop. Even after everything has been debunked repeatedly, people still perpetuate nonsense.

Honestly this website was once a great place. Now with the sudden surge of people who think they're reptilians, or that they're Jesus, or can tell the future because they're so 'enlightened' with their 'love vibrations of peace and light', or what ever other wackjob schizophrenic claims they make, intelligent topics meant for learning are becoming more of a rarity on here. It's starting to resemble GLP which is exactly what I've been worried this place would turn into.

It's a good thing I'm not running ATS because I'd be on a massive banning spree for anyone who continually chooses ignorance over facts.

I felt like a rant was needed to express my frustration.

reply to post by paradox


s&f for you. the trouble is people like to believe weird stuff. but life is weird. in any case, intelligent conversation can't happen all of the time, or even when you want it to. for it to really be worth it it has to be a surprise. so imho be happy that you're seeing these kind of headlines because it could mean that you are about to have the best intelligent conversation in your life!!!

Excellent rant Couldn't agree more.
Funny you should mention GLP. Do you think the recent exodus from that forum is the reason for all of these type of threads?
It is more than annoying when you see a crazy thread that is debunked with an educated fact laden post and they just ignore the post as if it weren't there. Maybe they should change the motto to Deny Facts.

Originally posted by couldbeanyone
reply to post by paradox

 

so imho be happy that you're seeing these kind of headlines because it could mean that you are about to have the best intelligent conversation in your life!!!

Thanks for the reply.

I'd have to disagree though, because the people I'm referring to do not like to listen to any solid facts that counter their claims, and humbly change their stance. They are already too stuck in some sort of fantastical belief system.

Well, I'll tell ya. ATS is the sum of its posters' contributions. You've been here over eight full years and contributed a whopping total of 155 posts. ATS prides itsef on user generated content and you've generated next to nothing. If you want ATS to be better, then perhaps enlightening us with your wisdom would do that. If you are going to be that passive on this site, then I think your rant is not worth worrying about. It's like a spectator at a baseball game complaining about the players' performance on the field. If you really don't like it, don't show up. It's not like your presence would be noticed.

How am I supposed to know when the world will end or the aliens will land?
How am I going to know when the next earthquake will hit or the next volcano erupt?
How about Nibiru? I still have my umbrella up in case it lands on me.
I need to know these things to so I can time the repo of my Ferrari and Porsche.

PS. When will the aliens pop out of the sun... you know, just in case?

reply to post by Neysa


It definitely could have a lot to do with that.

I think a majority is a result of the expansive user base this site has generated. ATS is bound to pop up in any search for any kind of 'fringe' topic on Google if people are searching.

Just wait til summer!
I think as ATS has grown, we get more of everything, the good, bad, ugly and the far out. We still have a choice of clicking the thread though. I feel ATS is a mill of sorts, an educational process that draws fact, speculation and theory from all ages, walks and cultures. So yea, the details may not appeal to everyone, but the mix is still good imo.

Peace,
spec

reply to post by schuyler


So now the number of posts matter?

I could have 4 billion posts and have them all be crap. What's the point? Should I waste my life on this site making thousands of posts like you? Will that make me better? Does that make anything you say more valid?

ATS prides itself in post numbers? Because you say so?

I'll have you know for 8 of those years I was in the Marine Corps so I could not contribute and just returned as a member, but I surely have kept up with this website.

Are you one of those people I mentioned in the post?
I can not understand your stance unless you were offended somehow.

reply to post by paradox


true. sad. and true, but like someone in this thread said- you gotta contribute. shed some light. find a way to communicate your opinion that will make them want to understand you. i'm not quite sure how to accomplish that, but do something.

reply to post by couldbeanyone


This is not about me. This is about many other members whom I have seen shed logic on incredibly stupid arguments, and they are labeled "shills" and "disinformation agents" (really?) just because they do not subscribe to unsupported belief systems.

reply to post by paradox

No, you should shut up or put up. You sit here here whining and yet contribute little apart from...this thread? Fail dude or dudette. ATS prides itself, as was already stated, on user generated content. You contribute little apart from this rant? I've made more (fail) threads in a few months than you have in 10 years? Pulleeze!
ETA No flag, no star and no cigar!


ETA2 Just read your latest comment which again is fail. You complain about the rest? Meh!

Still better then the silly Left/Right threads that are filled with rage , name calling and petty disagreements. Also an Alien Invasion is an actual Conspiracy as opposed to , "Hey RP Voters , Will you vote for the right if he doesn't get the nom?" which has nothing to do with conspiracies at all. Unless they are implying it's a conspiracy that Ron Paul wont get the nomination which was not what that thread was about at all.

If I wanted to answer a question about who I'd vote for , I''d go to Fox News or MSNBC and fill out one of their polls. Not a conspiracy website.

reply to post by paradox


well this is unfortunate. but LOOK! you said something, and now you are having an intelligent conversation. some folks agree, and some folks need a talking-to. way to challenge the status-quo! SUCCESS!

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by paradox

 

No, you should shut up or put up. You sit here here whining and yet contribute little apart from...this thread? Fail dude or dudette. ATS prides itself, as was already stated, on user generated content. You contribute little apart from this rant? I've made more (fail) threads in a few months than you have in 10 years? Pulleeze!
ETA No flag, no star and no cigar!

edit on 15/3/12 by LightSpeedDriver because: ETA

ETA2 Just read your latest comment which again is fail. You complain about the rest? Meh!

edit on 15/3/12 by LightSpeedDriver because: ETA2

I do not care about flags and stars on my posts, because I know this site is full of lunatics who spend so much time over their heads in conspiracy theories that the lines between reality and fiction become nonexistent, so by all means, do not star or flag. I think stars and flags are kind of a juvenile concept anyway.

As I have said, I haven't been able to participate until recently. I didn't even log into this account again until last month, and the time before that was in 2004.

Why are you whining about my rant? This is in the correct forum, I am allowed to rant on what I see fit.

reply to post by paradox

Be the change you want to see.

Peace

ETA Is it now our fault you can't access the interwebs? No. You are right, this is in the correct forum but "we" are allowed to counter your rant too. A life full of yes men is pretty boring too yanno. Try commenting in a 9/11 thread.

100% agree, S&F for you

Ive been here a few years myself, lost a couple of accounts due to losing the login info.

Last year saw an influx of paranoid, ignorant, delusional folk. I believe this was because the impending end of the world (sarcasm) in 2012.

The internet does a lot of good, but it also does a lot of bad. There are millions of websites spreading ignorance.

I too would have been on a massive banning spree if it were my website.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver

ETA Is it now our fault you can't access the interwebs? No.

Can you point out where I said that please?

reply to post by paradox


Conspiracy has become mainstream. Its big business now.

The site is now also on Facebook and Twitter.

If you try and present facts that disagree with the OP you are labelled negative and half the folk on the thread will turn on you in an attempt to get stars.

I have been on this site for the last decade. i go away every so often and forget passwords. thats why i am currently a new member. Its too late to save ATS. someone needs to start new site.

I've noticed a really annoying trend on this site pop up in the fast few months. Somebody will post a decent thread. Then, a troll will come in with a one-liner and get moderated. Then, the following few posts responding to said troll will have something like +47 stars on their post simply by responding to the troll.

I wish they didn't revamp the Firehouse section. I liked how it was organized into three separate columns, but now it's just a mess.