A reminder about pointless negativity on this forum

DISCLAIMER:- If you're going to reply with the usual crap about calling me a fascist for trying to regulate what is posted on this forum, or tell me that I should simply change the channel, etc, do us both a favour and don't bother. What I am writing about here is not legitimately defensible; I will ignore you if you try.

A couple of minutes ago in Alternative Breaking News, I encountered this:-

Convicted Arsonist Takes Pill, Dies in Courtroom

This is not newsworthy. It doesn't Deny Ignorance. By itself, it doesn't tell me anything about the way the world currently is in more general terms, or how it got that way. It's just pointless, sensationalistic, gratuitous doom porn, which is unlikely to do anything other than titilate the sadistic minority here who take pleasure in wallowing in such, or induce further depression in those users of this forum who do have souls.

I really wish the staff would start doing more about this. I'm aware that people who post this sort of crap aren't violating the letter of the terms and conditions at all, but you can hardly be here at any time of the day, when ABN and Social Issues aren't packed exclusively with articles that make you want to go outside and throw yourself under a truck after reading them. The motto of this forum is Deny Ignorance, not Induce Suicide.

Americans, I'm aware that your country is currently in the process of destroying itself, or at least that you think it is. However, something I'd encourage you to think about, is the idea that perhaps your country would not be going to Hell in a handbasket to the degree that it currently is, if you would stop focusing quite so strongly on that idea.

Constant focus on potentially suicide-inducing negativity cannot be justified on the basis of staying informed. There is a very clear, selective bias on this forum. There are any number of extremely positive events currently going on in the world, but most of you don't want to hear anything about those, and you would also protest if someone called you ignorant, because you don't know about them.

Bottom line:- The continual, exclusive focus on apocalyptic nihilism in this site's news forums is indefensible, and it needs to stop. The constant focus on police brutality, child slayings, and the level of necrophilia in general terms is unacceptable; and rather than simply turning around and telling me to leave if I don't like it, I'm instead going to demand that the people in question cease posting it.

I'm also going to demand, more than anything else, that you cease wanting to post it. Instead of simply feeling outrage towards me, have a good, hard look at yourself; and realise that if you are someone who feels motivated to adamantly defend your right to post this type of material, you are demonstrably morally degenerate.

Additionally, I am again requesting that the moderation staff become actively involved on this issue. If continual morbidity is not a violation of the terms and conditions, then the terms and conditions are apparently in need of amendment, so that it is.

reply to post by petrus4


Your thread seems kind of negative...and a bit pointless.


Ironic...huh?

There's nothing more insulting than watching people make partisan threads in support of either candidate. They always word their threads in a manner that will be insulting to either side. They don't provide enough (or any) credible sources to back up what they say.

We could report them at every instance or simply accept that ATS has become lazy in some ways.

reply to post by petrus4


So,
Bottom line, you want More Rules.
Wouldn't it be easier if you ignored those threads that Irk you, thus avoiding more Rules we ALL would have to follow.

Originally posted by Tw0Sides
reply to post by petrus4

 

So,
Bottom line, you want More Rules.
Wouldn't it be easier if you ignored those threads that Irk you, thus avoiding more Rules we ALL would have to follow.

Freedom is popular with some. Personal responsibility is popular with virtually no one. I'm aware that it's standard in this society, that if someone becomes opposed to a group of other people who are doing the wrong thing, to tell said individual to shut up, rather than doing something else, which might require some actual backbone.

Heck you don't have to read any threads you do not like.
Bad news sells, good news doesn't.
Oh and demanding stuff usually gets peoples back up.

reply to post by petrus4

You're not the boss of me!

See ya,
Milt

The Dark Side of the Bright Side I
n her new book, Barbara Ehrenreich traces the origins of contemporary optimism.

In her new book Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America (Metropolitan/Holt, October 2009), Barbara Ehrenreich traces the origins of contemporary optimism from nineteenth-century healers to twentieth-century pushers of consumerism. She explores how that culture of optimism prevents us from holding to account both corporate heads and elected officials.

Manufactured optimism has become a method to make the poor feel guilty for their poverty, the ill for their lack of health and the victims of corporate layoffs for their inability to find worthwhile jobs. Megachurches preach the “gospel of prosperity,” exhorting poor people to visualize financial success. Corporations have abandoned rational decision-making in favor of charismatic leadership. This mania for looking on the bright side has given us the present financial collapse; optimistic business leaders–assisted by rosy-eyed policymakers–made very bad decisions. In These Times recently spoke with her about our penchant for foolish optimism.

www.inthesetimes.com...

I understand. The world would be a much better place if everyone would think and act as you do. Or at least acquiesce to your wants and will.

Get over yourself.

You know, if i were a mod I'd close this thread. I'm getting real tired of control freaks freaking out because they can't have control how people express their own opinions. People who have to are the real problems.

There's enough moderation on this board. We don't need any more.

The OP is just another bs artist trying to rile people up with a whole lot of nonsense.

reply to post by EvilSadamClone


Nah I reckon a moment of madness from the OP, normally a decent stand up dude /dudette.

reply to post by boymonkey74


I don't agree with you, but let's leave it at that.

reply to post by petrus4


I for one thought that thread was rather interesting, and quite frankly I have no problem with people posting about suicide, even if it themselves who are thinking about it.

Its a very real issue in this world, and to forbid someone from speaking out about how they feel, may mean a missed opportunity in helping someone get over a difficlut time in their lives.

I find it a little ironic that you don't want to read about suicide, but you constantly rant "negative " about the government and the police forces, but have no compassion for those who may feel the same way you do, but have lost hope in seeing a change and are contemplating a "way out".

Suicide is a reality in today's world, and shutting it into a closet and pretending it doesn't exist is not dealing with it, in a positive way.

Maybe someone who is contemplating it, only needs a few nudges in the right direction, and a few compassionate souls to get them through it.

Perhaps it is a subject that hits a nerve for you for personal reasons, but that doesn't mean everyone should shut up about it.

So you have a strong dislike of threads based on negativity, so you present your thoughts on the subject in the most negative manner possible.. Did you do that on purpose?

Also, quite odd that as a advocate for positivity on the forums, you offer nothing constructive.. and the only reasoning behind amending T&C's seems to be that such threads are 'suicide inducing'... How would you even separate such threads from those that are negative but newsworthy?

I get the impression that you seem to be familiar with the ATS small print.. yet you seem to have no concept of the policies regarding arguing your point, and not simply talking/insulting people who you feel you are in opposition too, aka those 'morally degenerate people' who may reply defending their right to post these types of threads.

Finally, I do agree that there is far too much negativity around the forums... But if you genuinely want something done about that, your approach to it needs a big rethink.

Demand in one hand, spit in the other. See which one fills up first.

Be the change, bro.