This is a genuine question please don’t misinterpret it as a rant, a flag grab, or as if I have some other agenda it is just a question and I am interested to hear what other ATS members think and if there is a solution.

I find myself become more and more perplexed with what constitutes a “popular” thread on ATS, it would seem that the “oohh look a pretty picture” threads and the one line “it’s all Al-CIAdu” threads get the most attention. I keep seeing threads that have say a couple of paragraphs at most, no links, nothing yet end up with over a hundred replies and 50 or 60 flags.

Now call me bitter, jealous or whatever you want but it seems to me that if I write a thread that ends up spread over a couple of posts, is well written and has multiple references I am lucky if I get 20 responses and perhaps 5 or 6 flags.

I am starting to wonder if this is to do more with me than it is with the content of my threads or if it is just that people are lazy. It’s so frustrating to find a thread that has say one YouTube video or a pretty picture in it with perhaps a line of commentary get 150 plus flags and as many responses. So does this say to us that members of ATS have become lazy, if they have to read for any more than a couple of minutes without a YouTube video to break the monotony they just give up and don’t bother with the thread.

Or is it as starting I am to suspect something more personal, is it that people don’t want to respond to a thread by a guy who they don’t like or whose views they disagree with. Is it that they are reading a thread a that really does challenge their views so they just let it pass by and hope that everyone does the same so they don’t have to face a difficult question. In other words has ATS turned into a popularity contest where attention is given to the threads by authors who the members agree with because they are “popular views” by “popular members”. If I think a topic is worth discussing I discuss it and usually flag it even if I strongly disagree so long as the OP has brought forward a valid argument that is well presented.

The reason I ask is because the other day I put up the breaking news thread regarding Obamas announcement about new gun control measures and a member effective said “ohhh no not this guy getting the scoop” based on my previous posts and threads. It kinda got me thinking, are members deliberately avoiding my threads because they don’t like me rather than my content.

To be clear I am here to make friends, I am here to debate, I don’t want to be “popular” but when I raise a valid interesting and well-made thread I would like it if members would address the thread and not me as the author.

If any other members have experience of this I would be very interested in what you have to say.

As someone who writes longer threads spread over multiple posts with plenty of sources, something highlighted in your opening post, I like to think I'm in a fairly good position to chime in here. Fact is, if you work hard on your research and you post your findings and if you try to stay fairly neutral and/or unbiased, despite popular belief around here, you are by far more likely to see a successful thread. I really don't care for or have the time for anyone who says the contrary because that's just how it is here. I really do know, I've seen it and I've been making threads here long enough.

Sure, there is bad threads that do receive attention, no one has ever said that doesn't happen because it does. I accept that as I'm sure everyone else reading does too. It's not always deserved but it happens. A shame, but there you go. These few examples are all people focus on though. On the whole, the thread with the more information and the more sources does indeed do much, much better I've found and seen. I know from experience that putting hard work into a thread, doing your research, and finding your sources to try and back up the claims being made does pay off here and people appreciate you taking the time out to post it for them too.

I reject completely the claims made by some that to create a successful thread you need to post a video and a few words, or something else like this too. That kind of activity benefits absolutely no one. As far as I'm concerned we're on ATS to learn something and if all some want to do is gain stars and flags, well unfortunately for them that's time thoroughly wasted.

Take the time to put some real research and effort into a thread however, and take the time out to really learn about the subject you're bringing up for discussion and the stars and flags are nothing but an added bonus because you're bettered yourself anyway, you've made progress and learnt something. And you've also potentially helped someone else learn something too - Now, isn't that truly a great thing?

This being so my advice would be to just forget about what everyone else things hen writing something up. Think about yourself, begin writing about the thing's you thoroughly find fascinating - if you do then someone else out there will find it fascinating too - and put some real research and effort into what you write. You know, take the time to find those few extra sources, take the time to re-read the thread a couple of times and look for ways it can be improved and so on. You'll learn something and you'll maybe help someone else learn something too. A win-win..

A lot of people read ATS after all, millions every month. Who out there wants there username associated with crap when you could associate it when real content and real attempts to learn? I know which I ant to be associated with and I know what I want from this site - knowledge, as was intended with it's inception.

Edit to add:

I agree mods do tend to get S&F more than us mere mortals

I've been writing the same threads as a member and a mod and I'm genuinely not seeing what you're claiming here. Like I said above - those who work hard are often rewarded, not those with a mod tag or anything else like this. Genuinely, I'm not just saying this either, It's honestly just the way it is.

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
This is a genuine question please don’t misinterpret it as a rant, a flag grab, or as if I have some other agenda it is just a question and I am interested to hear what other ATS members think and if there is a solution.

I find myself become more and more perplexed with what constitutes a “popular” thread on ATS, it would seem that the “oohh look a pretty picture” threads and the one line “it’s all Al-CIAdu” threads get the most attention. I keep seeing threads that have say a couple of paragraphs at most, no links, nothing yet end up with over a hundred replies and 50 or 60 flags.

Now call me bitter, jealous or whatever you want but it seems to me that if I write a thread that ends up spread over a couple of posts, is well written and has multiple references I am lucky if I get 20 responses and perhaps 5 or 6 flags.

I am starting to wonder if this is to do more with me than it is with the content of my threads or if it is just that people are lazy. It’s so frustrating to find a thread that has say one YouTube video or a pretty picture in it with perhaps a line of commentary get 150 plus flags and as many responses. So does this say to us that members of ATS have become lazy, if they have to read for any more than a couple of minutes without a YouTube video to break the monotony they just give up and don’t bother with the thread.

Or is it as starting I am to suspect something more personal, is it that people don’t want to respond to a thread by a guy who they don’t like or whose views they disagree with. Is it that they are reading a thread a that really does challenge their views so they just let it pass by and hope that everyone does the same so they don’t have to face a difficult question. In other words has ATS turned into a popularity contest where attention is given to the threads by authors who the members agree with because they are “popular views” by “popular members”. If I think a topic is worth discussing I discuss it and usually flag it even if I strongly disagree so long as the OP has brought forward a valid argument that is well presented.

The reason I ask is because the other day I put up the breaking news thread regarding Obamas announcement about new gun control measures and a member effective said “ohhh no not this guy getting the scoop” based on my previous posts and threads. It kinda got me thinking, are members deliberately avoiding my threads because they don’t like me rather than my content.

To be clear I am here to make friends, I am here to debate, I don’t want to be “popular” but when I raise a valid interesting and well-made thread I would like it if members would address the thread and not me as the author.

If any other members have experience of this I would be very interested in what you have to say.

edit on 17-1-2013 by OtherSideOfTheCoin because: (no reason given)

Marketing my friend is the biggest way to do what you are talking of. The content of what you are talking about whether it be important or not. If your headline isnt interesting you gets no play.IMHO

To be honest , i really don't care about the S+F system , as long as the info gets out their and i am able to read it but at the same time i can understand how one would feel about working hard on something and hoping for a good flow of response , the only down side to the S+F system is in a situation like this , where you would make a thread hoping that to get feedback to answer some questions but due to the lack of S&F people don't reply ,

I my self do not go by the S+F system and most ATS vets should understand that as well ...

Just a suggestion, but if you are concerned people don't read your threads because of bias toward you rather than the content, consider changing your avatar every now and then. It's amazing how many people remember avatars over usernames. Heck, it's even possible people are turned off by aliens in business suits with cell phones (he/she/it does look a bit grumpy)

Originally posted by Zarniwoop
Just a suggestion, but if you are concerned people don't read your threads because of bias toward you rather than the content, consider changing your avatar every now and then. It's amazing how many people remember avatars over usernames. Heck, it's even possible people are turned off by aliens in business suits with cell phones (he/she/it does look a bit grumpy)

Very true a Pot leaf in the background of your profile could prolly deter a lot of people from listening to what you have to say. Before your ideas can be marketable YOU have to be marketable.

In answer to a small part of your original question, if the OP is spread over two posts it is that big, I will generally click away unless the first paragraph really grabs me. And normally to be fair, most extended posts I have read tend to not get around to saying much at all in the first couple of paragraphs, thus I click away. Yes I have a very short attention span.