Out with the old ATS and in with the new, who is with me?!

Yep, you heard me right. Get over it. Change happens. I am sick and tired of hearing how much better the old ATS was. "I lurked for years and it was better 5 years ago," bla bla bal.

I am part of the new ATS, you are part of the new ATS, we are all here holding it up together. It is what it is.

Everything starts small and grows. Changes happen and that is what helps it evolve and grow. Without those changes you wouldn't have fresh opinions and new theories to digest.

We are the biggest conspiracy community out here, and the bigger we grow the more change will happen. It has to, it will, embrace it or don't, but stop pissing and moaning about it.

Everytime I see on of those threads about the old ATS, I take it to heart because I am a newer member that makes up part of the new ATS. You are slamming me and my generation right to the ground. Are you not happy that we are awakening and finding ATS? Did you just want this site to stay only a few hundred strong? Will you not teach us as you would teach your young.

Ya'll sound like a bunch of grumpy old men complaining about the new Wal-mart opening in town. Things grow, they thrive, and it is good. I have made several "Internet friends" here and I love this place. I have spoken more openly here than I ever have in my whole life. Without this site being this way, and offering so much diversity, it wouldn't offer such great insight.

We have instant on the spot eyewitnesses to news, earthquake monitoring, ghost video, 911 eyewitness reporting, and also the rant section. Holy cow, they offer it all! How the mods ever keep their heads on straight I will never know.

Now, either embrace change or get off your rocker and post the kind of threads you are griping about never seeing anymore. I for one look forward to seeing them.

Make me think, open my mind, that is why I am here after all.

reply to post by Doodle19815


I'm not sure what examples you've seen, but affectionate nostalgia for the past is not always the same as complete disdain for the new.

Just my $0.02.

ETA: There were just as many complaints about these boards then.

well said ... and yes I admit Im a grumpy old man... after the life Ive led ... things Ive seen I earned it...

reply to post by loam


I agree Loam, and it is good to bond through memory.

However, every week I see a new rant about how much better the old ATS was. I didn't know the old ATS so I have no opinion to give on that, but dang, where do we just give in and except it. Just skim through the rant section. It is full of rants about the "old ATS". Better colors, better subject matter, and better people supposedly.

I like it this way, but like I said I am part of the newer generation. Who knows, in ten years from now I might be the one complaining about the new ATS.

reply to post by Doodle19815


Truth hurts.. This site actually WAS a lot better a few years ago, before the 15 and 16 year old kids discovered it.
Nothing you can say will convince me otherwise.

reply to post by Juggernog


And before face book links and the inevitable invasion because it's 'cool'


Edit - can I say 'cool' or is that still considered racist

reply to post by Juggernog


I am not trying to convince you, I just want people to see that us newer kids on the block don't care if you perceived it as better. We came to this place for what it is, not what it was.

It kinda sucks to always hear about what it was like back in the old days of ATS. I am sure your grandparents always thought it was so much better in their youth, but did they constantly throw it in your face? Ok, well maybe mine did. But if the subject matter isn't as good as it was, make it better. Post the kind of threads that they had back then.

Or have we all been conspiracy theoried out. Is there not any new material to offer?

reply to post by Doodle19815




You shouldn't take it personally... it wasn't better because you weren't here, it isn't a personal remark about you as a member so not sure why you're so bothered.

It's not that there are new members and the old members don't like new members, that has nothing to do with it really..

It's the people that join where there is a big thread or popular campaign


ATS has been used over the years by many groups when a big thread/topic has raged.

Stormfront/BNP
Anti/pro Obama supporters
Homophobes
Islamaphobes
9/11 fanatics and deniers
Anti-Semitic crazies


And any other group you can think of.

Popularity is the reason ATS is used as a platform.


This always results in the owners making a thread warning people of their behaviour and blah blah blah..

The site has become massively diluted for many, many reasons and the one I list above is just one.


ATS used to be a relatively civil place to discuss things and even if you were debating fiercely, you still thanked the person or sent U2U's after thanking them and chatting and so on... at least I always have.

I'm sure the economic climate/recession/depression has a lot to do with it...people are on edge, they're snappy.. they're looking for someone to blame and usually it's each other and anyone that's different.

Anyway.

Don't take it personally when people say that ATS used to be better and nicer and a more fun place.

It just did.

reply to post by blupblup


Quoting the points I really like and completely agree with!

Originally posted by blupblup
You shouldn't take it personally... it wasn't better because you weren't here, it isn't a personal remark about you as a member so not sure why you're so bothered.

It's not that there are new members and the old members don't like new members, that has nothing to do with it really..

and..

Originally posted by blupblup
ATS used to be a relatively civil place to discuss things and even if you were debating fiercely, you still thanked the person or sent U2U's after thanking them and chatting and so on... at least I always have.

All that said, there have been numerous outstanding improvements as well!

reply to post by Doodle19815


I've lurked for years and been a member for a couple... I don't know that the old ATS was any better than the new ATS .. you see a lot of the same crap.. dire predictions of the end times, UFO's a plenty.. ridiculous conspiracies with no supporting evidence.. trash talking...

The thing is though that the mods do a pretty good job of clearing a lot of the clutter when needed.. in my opinion at least.. and in the middle of all the junk, you find some really good topics by some very knowledgeable and interesting people.

I can deal with all that.. the only thing I don't care for is being labeled as a disinfo agent or being considered "asleep" or "sheeple" when I don't agree with someone's unsubstantiated views.

There are considerably more people here now and the mods have a much tougher job than they did back then..

ATS used to be a relatively civil place to discuss things and even if you were debating fiercely, you still thanked the person or sent U2U's after thanking them and chatting and so on... at least I always have.

I think the only difference is that the population of this site has increased so the noise ratio, if you will, has increased with it..

There was always a lot of mud slinging on this site.. when views conflict it happens, but the frequency was less merely because the numbers were lower.. things happened at a slower pace.. that happens when you become big and popular...

I still get U2U's for responding calmly .. but I also get added to enemy lists often enough as well .. we probably also have a lot of younger people here.. more than in the past perhaps.. ( comes with the larger population )

Viva la revolution!

reply to post by Juggernog


I know I already responded to you but I wanted to add to it. Should we not be happy that the younger kids are here seeking answers? I know at 16 I sure didn't care about politics or the strange clouds in the sky. I was more concerned with where I was going on Saturday night. Should we not take the youth at hand and guide them? Teach them to have open minds and see that their way is not the only way?

Perhaps I was naive, but I thought Americans were the best. I thought the world envied us and loved our culture. Thanks to ATS my eyes have been opened to the truth, and now I see reality. I wish at 16 I would have had this knowledge at hand.

reply to post by Doodle19815


They dont want to be guided by anyone, they think they know everything already. Most of them only contribute one line quips or some kind of "face palm" image trying to be humorous rather than contribute to the topic at hand.
Then the other kids will come in and give the post 75 stars, further boosting his ego, which encourages him to continue with his "humor"
Im not exaggerating at all and I think you know it.

When I joined seven years ago ATS was much, much smaller. It was more civil only because the mods had a much easier time keeping track of things...and the members knew that. Fewer members. Much smaller amount of forum, or is it forii? Anyway...

ATS has grown, evolved, and I for one, having been here for most of it, love it. Wouldn't be on the staff if I didn't...

Do I miss the days when we were a much more tight knit, even intimate, group? Sure, sometimes. But I see what it's become, and the nostalgia fades. People from literally all over the world, from many, many walks of life. Races. Creeds. Beliefs. All represented at one time or another. A true microcosm of the world.

What's not to love?

reply to post by Juggernog


You may very well be right. But at least they are here looking. They are soaking up this knowledge whether they know it or not. Something brought them here. The best we can do is offer them answers and hope they learn. I have much patience for the young, they are eternal life in my eyes. The more that they learn early on life sucks, the better off they will be able to cope. Just think of the thousands of young eyes that have been opened by ATS.

I think people are confusing different and better. It is different now, not better not worse. We are different now. For one thing maybe we are giving up the beating of dead horses. Maybe we are looking for solutions. We are seeing the world differently and sorting out where do we go from here. Assuming we can unpack our bug out bags for a bit.

In the good old days we were learning that we had been lied to, manipulated, conspired against. Still going on, but if I stop playing the game of "I believe you", what happens next. What do I want to happen. Say I step sideways instead of going along as always. I see that as the focus of ATS, more and more. Those are the voices I want to hear.

ATS is great!! ATS has people of vision, open minded, looking to change the world.

reply to post by blupblup


You know, even if you don't know it, people have those that they bond or whatever it is with. I recognize and respect every person in this thread so far. I may not send you a PM or debate with you, but I feel like even out of the thousands here I know your name.

Now short of sounding like a stalker, I do follow what lots of people say on here. I feel like I know where lots of people stand on certain issues. I even find myself rolling my eyes when I see certain avatars before I even read a post because I know I will disagree with what they have to say. That doesn't mean I don't respect their opinion, I just don't think like they do.

I think it is great that out of so many people I usually see familiar "faces" so to speak. There a lot of thread lurkers like me, but we still have our favorites whether we tell them or not.

I will admit something though, so I dont sound like a hypocrite. There are times when I have been known to be a smart ass and may post something that doesnt contribute to a thread.
However, about 95% of the time that it happens, will be at night/early morning and ive been drinking

Btw, you seem like a decent guy. Thanks for the civil conversation

reply to post by Juggernog


I am a decent Gal!

Don't worry though, I know the pic throws people off.

Thanks for your honesty and participation. Drink a cold one for me.