ATS = Entry Portal for Getting Sucked Into Marathon Reading

Yep... pretty much just like the title says. I think ATS is a massive swirling info-portal into which one can get pulled, rather unexpectedly, along a long, semi-linear (and most likely tangential) rush for knowledge. Many topics brought up here spark curiosity strong enough that I will continue reading about them off site. Many threads will even have multiple links on a given topic. As such, even one really great thread can provoke me to hours of reading.

I don't know how most of you cats browse ATS, but I often like to look through all the posts in my favorite sub-forums. Some days, I can barely get through ONE sub forum, there's so much to take in.

How does everyone else deal with this issue?

Or do they? Has my addiction to hard knowledge really, finally, progressed too far?

reply to post by iwilliam


Slow and steady wins the race my friend. If I am interested in a topic I will give the poster the benefit of reading all of the information that they have worked hard to bring to my/our attention - irrespective of time taken to do same.

I know that sometimes one wants to respond to get in amongst it before the thread fizzles but for me its the essence of the info that counts........i've jumped the gun a number of times and been pulled into line pronto by those who have the knowledge I was so eager to seek so I see your double-edged sword conundrum.

Don't worry though, you will eventually catch up on everything thats of an interest to you

Like you, I am here for your mind and regardless of how long it takes - knowledge IS power.

Its better to come to the gun fight with a gun and not a stick if you get my drift.........

reply to post by iwilliam


Like anything, pick your battles and judge accordingly. I tend to gravitate towards certain forums that interest me and I have a certain knack for rather than those I have no interest in.

Then it's just a matter of applying yourslef accordingly. ATS can seem like a overwhelming site at first glance, but the veneer soon wears off and you will tend to find yourself in certain forums all the time. The attitudes of people also tend to play a part in how much you spend in certain areas, sometimes the nastiness tends to drive people off.

Like real life my friend, find your place and go from there.

There are problems and then there are blessings we gripe about . ATS is a fount of knowledge, yeppers, terrible addiction, we know! Ain't it grand? Give a whole new meaning to time it does. Never enough! Tangents, thousands to go off on, we call it the rabbit hole, now you see .

Templar-- There are certain forums I tend to gravitate toward, and apply my focus in, as well. It just happens that there are at least ten sub-forums I like to keep updated on.



Iamschist-- Blessings we gripe about? Don't they call those "white people problems?"





Thanks for the replies.

reply to post by iwilliam


I've read the entire sight. Every word. The good news is that I am much more wise than I was that day, so long ago, when I first signed up for membership. The bad news is that I'm now on four different medications, have 19 restraining orders against me, have been featured in 8 hate tweets from Miley Cyrus, now have to buy Rogaine shampoo, and I'm positive that my postman is actually an NSA agent...

But the nightmares abated after that one night I got into a UFO dispute and wound up banging my head on my desk for 6 straight hours... So I've got that going for me...

All in all, it's been worth it.



~Heff