unplug.

A friend of mine told me about ATS a year or so ago. i looked around for a week or so and decided i'd join. wrote a thread that got a lot of air time and got me fairly involved in this site. more involved than i had ever hoped for...

as i got involved in ATS, i began to notice that many people took this site (and other conspiracy sites) VERY seriously. i repeatedly saw elder members talking about taking a break. kept seeing thread after thread about taking a break. i could understand the need to take a break but couldn't see how people got so caught up that they let it effect their emotional state, in real life. people joke about these sites making you paranoid but it's really not that funny of a joke, seeing as how accurate it is.

it's just a website! or...is it? it only exists when you create it...when you sign in. if you invest your energy into a website, take the time to create an account, build a reputation, establish a social "network" and develop your "cyber ego", you have invested your energy into that website and if you maintain this said cyber-ego's reputation, you are, again, spending your energy. honestly now, was this the best way for me to have spent my energy?

i had been seeing issues with the internet for quite some time...felt an apprehensive draw to it, almost like going on a ghost hunt or chasing after something that could kill you. something told me to tread lightly but still "give it a whirl". wrote a really big thread that seemed to reach a lot of folks. and so the journey begun...

months later, ATS had become a regular part of my life. on almost everyday, unless i got really busy in real life for a few days or something. LOVE all the info on this site but i can tell you this much, around the time i actually joined and started posting, i had started to notice the energy of the site change. i'm sure that if there are any long standing members reading this, you can attest to this change (you surely have seen it more than i).

so life "in the office" sure was demanding...keeping up with threads, people's comments, replies, U2Us...geezus. i even attracted my very own cyber stalker who was threatening to take my life. yeah...that person is sick but you know what? that means i invested enough of my own energy into a website that someone would single me out to attack. that, to me, tells me i'm too involved in a website. it's just a website. it's like a channel on the tv! it only exists when I want it to. (and hey cyber stalker...if you wanna threaten me here, go ahead. the power of suggestion is a powerful tool indeed but unfortunately i'm a bit too disconnected for your little thorn to have worked it's way into my hide!)

unfortunately for me, i am very empathic, to levels that i wish i could turn off. simply being involved in a website that had turned into a bully pulpit and heckling contest was really getting under my skin because whatever energy had taken over this site was starting to effect me. not cool. life sure was starting to get stressful. i felt a storm building inside of me and one morning, i was woken up at 3 in the morn and told it was time to "vent". went on a war path with the internet for about a week. pretty much signed outta online life. started thinking...

started asking myself one day why i had taken on this war with the internet. this is what just rolled right off my tongue: "what have they ever given the people that was good for them?"

what have they given us? vaccines? tv? public water? public school? (and the list goes on and on...) everything seemingly "good" that they give the people ends up years down the road being found to have been a tool for either mind control and/or population control. so why did they give us the internet? why do they still allow us access to all this "knowledge"? is it for the same reason as all the smart phones and portable movie players? is it just to keep us occupied and complacent, almost like a pacifier?

how much good are you doing in the real world by doing so much good on a website? it's one thing to make every post count but it's a brand new ballgame when that website's able to make an impression on your emotional and mental health. i'll tell you this much...since i've "cut the cord", life is different. just like when i quit watching tv years ago, now that i've stepped away from the forum boards and social media in general, my mind is firing on a different wavelength. life is finally getting peaceful. i'm not stressed every day. i am a weird one in the fact that i kinda "take on" energies that i'm around, so being involved in a big website really took it's toll on me. for you senior members, however, i'm sure this forum has taken it's toll on you a time or two, no?

i had always had a hard time meditating. always felt like there was some kinda block. within the first week of me stepping back from the web, i started being able to step into a meditative state within a few minutes. since stepping back from the web, my meditations have been the most intense and longest lasting pretty much every time. i've also started dreaming. now that may not sound like much but i pretty much never dreamed. (yes, i know they say every one dreams but not every one remembers it...whatever). i usually would only dream like maybe once or twice a year and i've been like that my whole life. over the past month, i'm having dreams more nights than i'm not. none of them seem like amazing stories i really need to share and analyze but just the fact that i started dreaming around the same time i started being able to meditate just around the same time my life started to get peaceful just after i stepped back from the web. coincidental timing, no? feels kinda like a layer of fog has been wiped away.

yes, there are great things about the internet, too! i've learned more from it than any other source. it's been a wonderful aid for my growth over the past couple years. i've only known one person in my life that had enough interesting things to talk about that they could hold my attention for more than an hour and i met that person here and they ended up being the most precious gift to my development and helped me grow in ways i didn't know i could. so i do see the positive side of things.

i just feel that people are way too engrossed in social media. and don't go feeling all high and mighty! ATS has become a self-glorified facebook where people dance for stars and sing for flags. it's not the hard hitting facttablet it once was. and i'm not even getting into all the trolls and schills and whatever other clever names they're known by. when did the internet become such an integral part of day-to-day life?

i still don't know what to make of the web but deep down i feel it's vampiric in nature. it requires your energy to manifest within it. really makes me think twice about what i say. i still look at ATS every day, i just don't sign in. i figure if i come here for info, there really isn't any need for me to sign in, unless i feel i really have something to add.

now i am known to take things a lot more serious than most folks. i also tend to see things a little bit differently than every one else, from a completely different angle than most. perhaps i'm looking too deeply into this, perhaps i'm not.

all i know is that ever since i stepped back from the web, feels like i've reconnected with a part of myself.

we are our own creators. where our energy is focused, there it will manifest...

Iv had to take multiple breaks from ats. Like anything else in life the key is moderation. If you don't use it moderately it's debilitating on the phsyci. Ats is constantly being bombarded with information and 99% of it is anything but happy. Being constantly bombarded with gloom and doom isn't healthy. Use ats with caution and use in moderation. As you say unplug. You came here to learn and grow as a person not get
Caught in the ignorant muck of paranoia and disinformation.

You took it upon yourself to post on a WEBSITE, that you've taken a break from the web ?

Somehow, I find this claim hard to believe.

reply to post by babybunnies


like i said...ats is a bunch of hecklers now.

if you would've paid attention, you might have picked up a bit more than just that but alas, you prove my point. last time i signed in, within 30 minutes my life was threatened. this time, i post a thread and within 2 comments, someone throwing tomatoes.

ah...social media...

You do sound very sensitive, I too am a sensitive but I don't think tptb really have any choice in all that you speak of; they are blinded by what force has ahold of them and they cannot see nor read nor hear the reality of what goes on around them; well, that is unless their publicists says so or they face fines and imprisonment.

I still cannot imagine the leaders of the world being so manipulative that they advance an agenda that surpasses even thier own lives, even if it entails a little bit of enjoyment at the moment (money), even if they had a legacy, such as the Bushes and other long-lived cabals; the fact is they really believe they are doing good for others and helping the world at large. The collectiveness of the internet and the collectiveness of reality are one and the same, it is the individual voice that rings most true even if it is failing in proper judgment; because there is a Devil in the works and with it or without it, it is there and he is real!

I think you are blaming the internet when this has been going on for far longer than not. Seriously! I can only say that there is another reality that has our nose hairs and those pubes that seem to pinch the creases of the fabric of our lives. Without the Internet, without the craziness of life being exposed, we might as well be cattle forever.

It is funny that you think you already got a tomato! LOL I have seen some really big tomatoes thrown here, I think a grape must of boinked on your head and bounced harmlessly on the floor and you saw red!

Breaks are good!

Awesome thread!

I totally agree with what you're saying, even to the point that I actually started making a thread about the same thing a while back but decided to leave it until another time for some reason. I think I wanted to explain it better and was tired, and I'm really glad I did because you've explained it a lot better here.

I think you've done that because you're not as connected. You've already taken some time away from the net/forums, you've got that better perspective now and I think you're pretty much 100% right.

The only thing I'd say is that it's not all bad. If used sparingly to help spread info/ideas/inspiration or if used properly for research, the internet can obviously be a brilliant tool. The problem arrives when we get sucked into our online personas on various sites and invest way too much energy in them. Especially at a place like this because you're reading the weirdest and often the heaviest things around, and yeah if you don't step back it does take its toll.

It has done for me already several times, and I'm just starting to get back to what you're doing now, but I prefer to keep a type of balance. I could stop using this site for weeks, months maybe, and the same with other sites and social media, but I honestly think that if we used these sites in a balanced way and we're trying to help with information, inspiration, etc, we can actually help others, so I try to stay around.

But yep, I think you've got a lot of it sussed. It does have a big negative side and it is kind of like the new TV if not used properly. Where you just waste tons of time, create a heavy and hard to remove attachment to forums, social media, etc, and don't really do anything productive. That's why personally when I'm online I'm now increasingly trying to make sure what I'm doing has some direction. Whether it's looking for information, inspiration, helping spread some of that around via social media or forums, etc, as long as it's not that drone mode mindset where you're bored, irritable, without creativity and just habitually checking the same pages/forums over and over again without really getting anywhere. That's when you should really stop and ask yourself if it's time to take a break.

Thanks for making the thread anyway, and I just hope enough people take some notice because I think this is a really important issue that a lot of people should have a good think about. Glad your meditation has improved too! Always a good sign that you're doing something right.

Finally, just remembered what my related threads main point was going to be so will add here : a lot of subjects on this site really get into your head and your mind needs time to process them before they make more sense. So if you're constantly coming back here and spending too much time reading habitually, you're just cramming your mind with more and more information that it needs time to process, and I don't think it's healthy at all. Especially if several things you're reading are unsettling and hard to deal with. You're just making the weight on your mind heavier and heavier, and to unplug like the OP says for even a day or two, it really helps.

Get away from the pc and tv screens regularly, get some regular fresh air, meditate more, do something creative, etc. It works.

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


I've felt the same man, very nice post. Like you, I too am very empathic, but it was difficult handling so many information at once, it caused my emotional health to become unstable. That, plus a bunch of other things combined, almost drove me to the point where I just wanted off this planet.

I lost what I thought was a good friend, due to me not handling my emotions well, but hey everything happens for a reason, so this helped me accept, not only the loss of the friendship, but also accept the way things are and just have faith that everything will be alright.

Personally, I think it's good that you are taking the spiritual path and just being true to yourself. You have the knowledge you need, to want real change it happens within. While you do that, you will encourage others, and so on and so forth.

I don't blame you for stepping aside, you have come to the realization that, in the end, you have to work on yourself and not project your fears unto others.

reply to post by robhines


i agree...balance is the key! there are lots of benefits to the net but it's a double-edged sword, like most things in this duality. at the present time, the net seems like a double-edged sword that has barbs on both sides.

i see sooo many people addicted to the internet. friends will come over and check their facebook on my couch. hanging out with a friend and they feel the need to stop hanging out with me to post a picture online of us hanging out. wtf is that? people have brought their social media lives into their reality and now the line is non-existent.

Nicely stated, Ice. There is a vibe which has taken hold which is quite negative, and it taints and affects everything on this site. Trying to change it is like throwing rocks at a tsunami, so it is best to "unplug" from the internet and plug into real life.

Of course, this sudden shift begs the question: Is the negativity and meanness a result of a coincidental, sudden influx of angry people, or is it a reflection of the stresses of modern life falling apart, and it is reaching critical mass?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


HEY THERE MS KITTY (sorry mr kitty...mrs kitty )

yeah...quite a negative energy, ain't it?

i can't pinpoint the origin of it but i doubt it's just one origin. yeah, one could blame the obvious trolls and schills but it think, like you said, you have to take into account the overall state of the people's mind! we're all pissed off and fed up...ready to take to arms! or, maybe get out of armchairs for once! very few people are truly happy with life anymore. so it's going to seep out of their pores. if ATS is user generated content, i'd say the overall vibe of the website would be a general consensus of the member's attitudes. as alone as i wish i was, we are all connected.

but just as this thread proves, ATS is more of a stage now. i post a long thread and the second comment is a smartalec who wants to get a few stars so makes a very passive attempt to make a joke of my thread. i think this is a fairly serious topic. and yet someone who has been around longer than me, of everything i wrote, decides to try and reduce my thread into one sentence. says wonders for that member's comprehension skills, i know, but still it's a very common theme around here now.

people aren't really trying to understand things...they're trying to show how much they understand! this is a time for true change. and that starts within.

the world ain't gonna change until everyone in it decides to!

Originally posted by XxRagingxPandaxX
You came here to learn and grow as a person not get
Caught in the ignorant muck of paranoia and disinformation.

and there sure seems to be a lot of paranoia and disinfo around. this site is as much BS as it is useful, just like most other sites now. shame...

You just got to keep your head on straight. I don't understand why people let other posters get to them so much, but I do think stress and fears in their real life contribute to posters getting fatigued.

reply to post by satron


people seem to get very involved in these sites, yes. it's the social aspect of it. this isn't just a source of info for most folks...it's a life style.

people posting their lives away, one topic at a time. it's real life to some folks, hence my draw towards this topic. i think the internet is meant to suck us in...

Originally posted by ICEKOHLD
reply to post by satron

 

people seem to get very involved in these sites, yes. it's the social aspect of it. this isn't just a source of info for most folks...it's a life style.

people posting their lives away, one topic at a time. it's real life to some folks, hence my draw towards this topic. i think the internet is meant to suck us in...

I would never devote so much of myself in any site that I would leave myself open for harm. There is no life but the one I live in the real world.

I've said this in another thread, but people that have been rejected from life in different shapes and forms likely will be the people that devote themselves to these other activities, where it's like a life away from their life, or a virtual fantasy land. It's like coming home from work to veg out in front of the TV. This is a way to feel distant from their problems they face. But it doesn't solve them, and will probably be worse when they come around. This is going to be a big market in the coming years, because life is going to suck increasingly for more people.

Any change people think they can achieve through sites like this is ultimately limited. Limited just to the point that the people that REALLY negotiate change are fundamentally unaffected by people's opinions here. To really create change, everyone must log off this site and get back in the world, and accept that they've neglected a portion of their life for a long time, and that it will be painful to get it back on track. They'll have to collectively ask their selves a question: What should we accept and not accept? Should we tolerate our rights going down the drain? Should we tolerate bills like the NDAA? Should we tolerate having pre-selected candidates for president? Should corporations held to be more responsible for damages to the environment and society?

When a majority presides over some issue, it's not very bright to merely talk about it online. GO DO IT. Make sure you are heard and can't be ignored.

Basically, people have put too much faith in the pull they have by speaking on websites like ATS. People used to go out with their physical bodies and demand change their way. People got hurt and some killed, but they understood that to be necessary.

What a lot of people are looking for on this website doesn't exist. Might as well get out.

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


Nice write-up sir.

In my opinion, I see the internet as a quasi-realm of existence, where we are not ourselves but our avatars. It's a realm where our ideas can exist and engage in epic battles. The problem with the internet is—when we're not using it for business or networking and the sharing of info, it's true utility—everything we do and say is from the context of our own boredom, spite and self-deceit. It's a no-mans land, where morals, manners, and anything sacred goes flying out the window. Sadly, people mistakenly take this petty intangible world as tangible.

There is an attempt to regulate this chaotic madness. People can feel bullied by words on a screen. People can feel that harm is coming to their physical selves. Some may commit suicide over it. But like you said, all people need to do is unplug for a little bit to realize the absurdity of this madness, and hopefully when they return, they can remember how absurd it really is and take it—in all cliché—with a grain of salt.

I require the internet for my business, and when I'm bored and should be working, I gravitate towards information I find useful, such as the discussions of philosophy on this board. But—like humanity—in places where the herd congregate, I feel the same destructive impulses of mob mentality forced upon me, and I become compelled to fight back. I think this is because individuality here is non-existant, and you must become part of the ether of the internet.

Nice post, thank you.

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


Yes I could not agree more

Unplug every now and then coz it does a world of good!!

In regard to ATS specifically;

I was getting caught up in alot of the paranoia you would associate with certain topics on ATS and it got worse and really affected me and my view of world!

Toward the end of last year I took a break and didn't log-in or even come onto the site for almost 6 months and I noticed a big difference.

I have since come back on but try to limit my exposure not just to ATS but the net in general.

I only bounce on out when I get too involved. When it eats up my time to get things done. Otherwise time on the internet wouldn't mean much to me.

reply to post by ICEKOHLD

thanks for your sharing! I enjoyed your insights and found them to be beneficial. If you dont mind "me" saying (haha) your next peeling of the onion could be! forgetting yourself and still being able to intereact. You know what I mean dont you? Well if you do, then let nothing more be said.
abrazos AT

reply to post by ancientthunder


no...i really don't know what you mean. now, i might if you hint or elaborate a bit more but i can't put it together with what you gave me. care to divulge a bit more? you can u2u me if you'd rather...