Has ATS discussion been dumbed down?

Hi guys,

I joined ATS a few years back and have for the most part enjoyed my stay here.

The problem is that decent debate here is getting harder and harder to come by.

My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

I see this in my own siblings my youngest brother is 9 years younger and he blindly seems to accept things like islamic terrorism, the need for greater security and the fact that we should be afraid. I believe personally that there has been one hell of a psy-ops program going on. the conspiracy being to brainwash young people in to believing that a threat like islam deserves our rights to be taken away. I see this blind following trait in many of the ordinary young people I meet. It scares me!

I put this forward for other ATS'ers to discuss and give their own thoughts feeling on the matter.

[edit on 17/10/09 by Jimmy1880]

even stevie wonder can see the young have been brain trained during their schooling.

and now thr states is introducing the 911 corriculum .. stand tall to the flag young americans be a patriot.

the 911 outrage will go down the same history path as kennedy.

all the proof in the world wont change that as your kids are indoctrinated by your education system.

and yes i agree with you the kids have messed this place up good style. i was an enthusiastic reader for 2 or 3 years before ever posting but the sheer amount of bullshiit just lately eventually drew me in.

[edit on 17-10-2009 by manxman2]

I think there's a bit of a false dichotomy here. You present yourself and your younger brother as each being of one of two options, when the reality is, there is an in between. I'm aware of the government creating a climate of fear and ramping up the threat of terrorism as well as playing the argument from the other side: having no control over immigration - it wasn't so long ago the government admitted they weren't actually keeping track of immigration numbers - but at the same doing their best to create an environment where people are now distrustful of immigrants. If it's not Islamic terrorists, it's yardies drug gangs, or East European gun runners/people traffickers and so on.

On the other hand, where I live there's no go areas for white people. Literally if I cross next street to where I live, after dark, the local Asian gangs make being there 'problematic' and attacks are a fairly regular occurrence. A lot of people, including politicians, try to say that this kind of thing doesn't exist and is a myth created by racists and xenophobes, but I actually live it. To me, radicalised Islamic youth is a genuine concern now.

So how does this work? I'm aware that the government twists the situation to suit their own ends but at the same time I'm conscious that there actually is a genuine problem with some Muslim factions.

[edit on 17-10-2009 by Merriman Weir]

Mass Media bias and implanted apathy has tainted the minds of far too many otherwise intelligent people, a lot who have simply lost the ability to think for themselves. Many people are quite content with what information they are fed by the MSM, therefore there is not much to debate. Unless partisan talking points, media lies, distortions and propaganda qualify as worthy debate and rebuttal material?

Originally posted by manxman2
even stevie wonder can see the young have been brain trained during their schooling.

and now thr states is introducing the 911 corriculum .. stand tall to the flag young americans be a patriot.

the 911 outrage will go down the same history path as kennedy.

all the proof in the world wont change that as your kids are indoctrinated by your education system.

and yes i agree with you the kids have messed this place up good style. i was an enthusiastic reader for 2 or 3 years before ever posting but the sheer amount of bullshiit just lately eventually drew me in.

[edit on 17-10-2009 by manxman2]

I'm sorry but you cannot blame the young which is my generation (or so i think) for the ignorance of our parents and grandparents. At the same time they did not have the access to information that we currently have! All i can say my generation are more awake more open than ever before. Maybe this leads to more outrageous threads but I find its easy to ignore them as bs. Are you suggesting limits on the imagination of young people on a board that allows discussion on all possibilities and impossibilities? You may as well shut the site down!

Originally posted by Merriman Weir

On the other hand, where I live there's no go areas for white people. Literally if I cross next street to where I live, after dark, the local Asian gangs make being there 'problematic' and attacks are a fairly regular occurrence. A lot of people, including politicians, try to say that this kind of thing doesn't exist and is a myth created by racists and xenophobes, but I actually live it. To me, radicalised Islamic youth is a genuine concern now.

So how does this work? I'm aware that the government twists the situation to suit their own ends but at the same time I'm conscious that there actually is a genuine problem with some Muslim factions.

[edit on 17-10-2009 by Merriman Weir]

I'm saying that the openmindedness of my generation has been superceeded by the partisanism of younger folk.

This should really be on a different thread completley but:

I put it to you that there was no radical islamic groups beating up white kids when I was younger. I appreciate It isn't much a comfort to hear but maybe they have sprung up because they live in a society that teaches people that muslim's are to be feared. I know I would hang around in groups of the same as me if I knew that all around me thought I was a loonatic terrorist.

Young islamic men in the UK are seriously misunderstood I'm sure they must be confused and scared that their fellow countrymen are scared of and hate them. The young men with balls will probably go on marches like the ones happeneing in London soon about sharia law. The quiet young men who feel alienated will be the ones who seek refuge in a terroist organisation and possibly become suicide bombers etc.

It's all very sad indeed!

[edit on 17/10/09 by Jimmy1880]

Originally posted by Jimmy1880
Hi guys
My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

So...

According to your Theory anybody who has a different opinion than yours automatically makes them immature? Or brain washed by evil big brother and corporate mass media?

Interesting. I'm going to try that logic the next time I'm in a debate or a deep discussion.

Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the young are ready to follow in the footsteps of the old and continue the present ways.

Besides, what 9 year old should even care about politics? Kids and politics really don't mix. Hell, even adults have trouble with it.

Just sucks that society needs to do away with politics, yet it won't be able to operate without them. What a headache.

Originally posted by SLAYER69

Originally posted by Jimmy1880
Hi guys
My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

So...

According to your Theory anybody who has a different opinion than yours automatically makes them immature? Or brain washed by evil big brother and corporate mass media?

Interesting. I'm going to try that logic the next time I'm in a debate or a deep discussion.

Very clever I see what you doing there

No I am not saying that. I am saying the younger people (Note, younger has nothing to do with maturity) that have grew up during their influential teenage years under the bush/blair years tend to be far more partisan in their thoughts.

I am saying in my theory this is due to the massive amount of scare tactics etc. that were employed by our governments in these times.

Thanks for listening



[edit on 17/10/09 by Jimmy1880]

Originally posted by Whine Flu
Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the young are ready to follow in the footsteps of the old and continue the present ways.

Besides, what 9 year old should even care about politics? Kids and politics really don't mix. Hell, even adults have trouble with it.

Just sucks that society needs to do away with politics, yet it won't be able to operate without them. What a headache.

This kind of post is just another example of the dumbing down of ATS!

Do people even read OP's anymore?

It's states my brother who is 9 years my junior not a 9 year old brother!

HELP!!!

Originally posted by Jimmy1880

The problem is that decent debate here is getting harder and harder to come by.

My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

SNIP

I see these as two different issues. I'm one of those lucky one's (rolls eyes) to have had to deal with a Bush or a Clinton in the White House since I've been able to vote, I'm sure that factored quite a bit into why (a) I've just not bothered to vote or why (b) I voted the way I did in the elections that I did vote in.

However, I don't know that I buy into partisan indoctrination as the reason people are unable to "debate" civilly... I put that down to just never being taught to shut up, listen, hear, understand and than speak... debate is (supposed) to be the exchange of ideas, not the shouting down of them for the sole purpose of your own... IMHO.



[edit on 17-10-2009 by LadySkadi]

Originally posted by Jimmy1880
My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

The problem with that theory is there are a lot of people who aren't new users or part of the younger generation who have extremely partisan thoughts and won't accept anything that isn't already part of their belief system as fact no matter what you try. It's not a problem with the younger generation. It's a problem with people being closed-minded regardless of their age.

reply to post by Jimmy1880


Whoops. Yeah, I probably should've read it a little bit better. Thanks for more or less insulting me, though. I hope it feels good up there.

Originally posted by LadySkadi

I see these as two different issues. I'm one of those lucky one's (rolls eyes) to have had to deal with a Bush or a Clinton in the White House since I've been able to vote, I'm sure that factored quite a bit into why (a) I've just not bothered to vote or why (b) I voted the way I did in the elections that I did vote in.

However, I don't know that I buy into partisan indoctrination as the reason people are unable to "debate" civilly... I put that down to just never being taught to shut up, listen, hear, understand and than speak... debate is (supposed) to be the exchange of ideas, not the shouting down of them for the sole purpose of your own... IMHO.

[edit on 17-10-2009 by LadySkadi]

Maybe your right, I could be looking it it too deeply. It may indeed just come down to people being brought up by the TV with no manners.

Either way it's still upsetting.

Originally posted by Whine Flu
reply to post by Jimmy1880

 

Whoops. Yeah, I probably should've read it a little bit better. Thanks for more or less insulting me, though. I hope it feels good up there.

Yet another example.

person makes mistake, mistake is found out.

All of a sudden the person pointing out the mistake is the one acting arrogant as per I quote "I hope it feels good up there!".

reply to post by Jimmy1880


Hmmm, arrogance on my behalf? You seem to want this to perpetuate, not me. I'll admit error on my part, but I am not going to have you call me arrogant.

I think I know what your next move is once I post this. Condescending pricks are predictable.

I'm proud of every young person we have on the board.

What make you think they are any different than the baby boomers when we were young?

People all over the country were building bomb shelters because we were made to believe Russia was going to attack us at any minute.

We even had bomb drills at school. I remember over hearing a group of men saying it would do no good to hide under our desks at school. He said if we saw the flash it was too close too late and we would be dead because of the area were we lived.

The fear mongering and conspiracy has continued through out my life and hasn't stopped yet.

My daughter is out of town this weekend and I have her 11 year old daughter with me.

Tonight she asked me about 2012, Aliiensoens ( my delete does not work so aliens and work are misspelled) Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I explained as best I could about fear mongering and the beauty of doing research on her on. She seemed to be alright with that.

There is always something wicked this way coming. Each generation has it's own set of evils.

I have to remind myself of the words King Solomon said, "There is nothing new under the sun".

The best we can do is set a good example by being open minded, truthful and ready to answer questions in an unbiased manner.

with our young people.

absolutely has been dumbed down

this site is just an extension of msm now

before i never used to see a single thing on here pop up on the msm

now i come on here read everything

then the same day or the next day i see half the stuff on the msm

i fully do believe this site has been infiltrated and is why it is of the crappy quality it is now

back in the day i would be here every day spending hours going through everything on the main page, and everyday itd be something new

now its the same old crap with every so often a few gems thrown in

reply to post by Jimmy1880

My theory is that a younger generation of users are coming through, users that grew up during the Bush/Blair corporation years. These users are growing up with deeply embedded partisan thoughts. With alot of these new users you are unable to discuss and instead all that happens is that they argue.

Why don't you begin by explaining to us how you think growing up under Blair or Bush and those bad corporations has embedded partisan "thoughts" and led to argumentative young people unfit for ATS.

I've noticed both an increase in ignorant users and people who like to argue for the sake of arguing. For instance, take that helium balloon UFO story. It being all over the news nonstop didn't surprise me, because the news loves stories like this, but seeing it get hundreds of posts HOURS AT A TIME here on ATS makes me worry.