Question for the veteran ATS members regarding current trend.

reply to post by Res Ipsa


If you are so inclined and do find the time I would appreciate the links/names of members that you have seen hit the nail on the head. I understand not wanting to turn things into a popularity contest. This thread was meant for real input and your opinion. So, far the tone has been good. Probably because this is more of an information gathering than something debatable...

Originally posted by queenofjacob
I would like to ask members of ATS that have been members for at least 5 years.
I would like to know if you have seen any changes on ATS regarding our current global condition.
Or rather, I guess what I am asking is if 5 years ago was there a sense of, "something big is about to happen".

back there in history, the post didn't use the nebulous phrase that 'something big is impending'
the posters elaborated on the things they seen on the horizon...

back then it was a more of a intellectual exercise--- pointing out the likelyhood of dire events & how it might come about and that these events are natural, cyclical events...
rather than the oblique and veiled reference to a 'black cloud' that darkened their soul or heart
which is what i would characterize the present 'Something Big Feeling' seems to embrace


but, it might be a kind of thing i just can't put my finger on
(i.e.: being non-commital, and thereby 'safe' from attacks or scrutiny)

reply to post by Time2Think


Thank you for sharing your story. If you feel like you were born into something strange what do you think that has prepared you for?

There has always been specific elements of paranoia that declare "this is the day" for as far back as when I was a lurker.

Well, the community is still the same IMO. I haven't seen much change socially.

But politically, we have gained a lot of clout since I have been here.

The Government just lowered it's recommendations for Fluoride levels in the water supply, due to Fluorosis a condition that harms the teeth. (Ironic I know). This is just one example of a few dozen that we could show as a significant step forward.

So overall the community is making positive changes happen in the outside world, SLOWLY but surely! Baby steps....

However, one extremely common thing is that when big news stories come out and are on the TV 24/7 for weeks, a very large portion 80% + of the community will actually defend the media's point of view relentlessly. And over time, the MSM point of view will be revealed as a scam, fraud, or lie.

And then most people ignore the fact the last big event was revealed as complete media hyped tabloid sensationalism, and jump on the bandwagon of the newest media craze. And the process repeats itself.

There have always been extremely mean spirited posters who only want to belittle others.

There have always been extremely helpful good spirited posters who only want to help others.

All things you see today, are just a mere repetition of the past. It is cyclical and each new spin looks a lot like the last.

Originally posted by Mainer
There has always been specific elements of paranoia that declare "this is the day" for as far back as when I was a lurker.

That has been going on for thousands of years in human history.

For example , in the year 999 AD, many people freaked out expecting the end of the world.

This is an extremely common behavior for our human race. It's built into us it seems...

reply to post by MMPI2


Thank you for point of view, Fight Club is one of my favorite movies - it's one of the few that I can watch over and over and over again and still enjoy it everytime. Since you're quoting the movie, I'm willing to assume that you realize that Ed Norton's character (the narrator) IS Tyler Durden, correct?

If you don't, then I have no idea where you're getting all of these points of view from.. and it kind of defeats the entire point of the story, does it not? Would you care to explain your interpretation of the end of the film for us? Considering the film ends with Ed Norton, the guy telling the story.. defeating Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) and watching the building across the street (which in my eyes represents the current financial system) explode.

The following information I found online @ www.moviemistakes.com...

Why does the narrator say, 'Tyler, listen closely, my eyes are open' just before he shoots himself? (Tyler says that he was created because there were issues in Jack's life that Jack could not resolve. Revealing that Jack was capable of everything Tyler did, Jack realized that he didn't need Tyler at all anymore. He assimilated Tyler's teachings and knew that he was strong enough to stand and figure his way through life on his own. Therefore, he symbolically eliminated the Tyler personality.)

At the end of Fight Club, when Edward Norton shoots himself in the mouth, how does it kill Tyler Durden and not Edward? (Tyler was all in Edward's head, and Tyler was a separate part of Edward's mind. When Edward shot himself, only HE knew that the gun was not angled at his own brain. The Tyler part of his brain did NOT KNOW that the gun was angled at his cheek. Therefore, the Tyler part of his brain "knew" that it was dead, and subsequently died.)

Interestingly enough, apparently the book ends differently than the movie - I have never read the book despite seeing the movie too many times to count - looks like I'll have to read it sometime.

From the book:

With Tyler gone, the narrator waits for the bomb to explode and kill him. However, the bomb malfunctions because Tyler mixed paraffin into the explosives, which the narrator says early in the book "has never, ever worked for me." Still alive and holding the gun that Tyler used to carry on him, the narrator decides to make the first decision that is truly his own: he puts the gun in his mouth and shoots himself. Some time later, he awakens in a mental hospital, believing that he is dead and has gone to heaven. The book ends with members of Project Mayhem who work at the institution telling the narrator that their plans still continue, and that they are expecting Tyler to come back.

en.wikipedia.org...

Despite the stats listed under my name, I've been registered here for a very long time. There has always been a sense that something is about to happen, but we've always looked to 2010/2011 for the big stuff.

Personally, I do feel that there is a lot of pressure building and it seems much more ready to pop now than it ever did "back in the day". There are just too many interesting things going on in the world right now... but of course, this is the last year before 2012 so I imagine everyone is going to naturally be more paranoid about things.

reply to post by queenofjacob


Honestly I don't really know - other than it has to do a lot with my spirituality. After you're forced to be face to face with death, your life is completely changed. I would love to do something where I can help out cancer patients but honestly I don't know if I could handle the constant stress and depression from it; I know I could for a little while but deep down I think it would eventually "destroy" me; I don't know of any other way to explain this. Although I had it at a young age, lost my first girlfriend over it, looked like a conehead for several weeks, and had gods knows how many bags of morphine pumped through my body; the fact is I was very lucky - I never had to go thru any chemotherapy, the summer after they discovered the tumor I had surgery and it was removed. I will say however that I completely hate MRI's with a passion, and pray that I will never have another one for as long as I live.

reply to post by Time2Think

Since you're quoting the movie, I'm willing to assume that you realize that Ed Norton's character (the narrator) IS Tyler Durden, correct?

Yep. Right on, man.

If you don't, then I have no idea where you're getting all of these points of view from.. and it kind of defeats the entire point of the story, does it not?

No, it does not. Not in any way.

Would you care to explain your interpretation of the end of the film for us? Considering the film ends with Ed Norton, the guy telling the story..

No. I will not explain my views on the movie any more than I already have. My understanding of the movie is my own, as are the thoughts about the movie I shared earlier.

I will leave your interpretation to you.

reply to post by simone50m


Thank you, I have considered seeking counseling - unfortunately this isn't exactly an easy thing to obtain when you're unemployed and don't have health insurance, and from what you're saying you're well aware of this.... We live in one messed up world... In all honesty I told my father a few years back that I needed help - but he didn't listen and I'm not going to constantly annoy my parents. He doesn't, and can't, understand. They have enough of their own problems to worry about me all the time. I've done a lot of my own personal healing over the last year or so, now I'm at the point where I'm just bored of my mind sitting here on the computer all the time. But I'd rather be here having meaningful discussions than out getting drunk off my @ss with a bunch of random people that couldn't care less... I've already done plenty of that.

By all rights we should be ON the moon and mars by now, gotta get some eggs out of the basket at least..Yet here we are still on earth, all of us...meh my 2cp from an old man

There were plenty of doom and gloomers on ATS when I became a member. The shift I see is in the political realm.
Much, much more paranoia, fear, and trepidation concerning the future. Perhaps warranted.

ATS has changed drastically in its growth with a huge influx of new members that are just negative trolls.

ATS has always been home of sensationalism, it was the same 5 years ago, people proclaiming the end of the world, people convinced something "big" was going to happen.

I would not be overly worried, aside from politics nothing "BIG" is going to happen and I base this on the lack of any form of reputable source to convince me otherwise, it's all opinions and perspectives on ATS...most of them to be taken with a pinch of salt.

reply to post by queenofjacob


The only trend I have noticed as ATS has grown (over the last 10 or so years that I have been visiting), is that there is more and more inane "prediction" threads and threads from people claiming to know "the answer" or be "the chosen ones".

Which is one of the reasons I rarely post/contribute these days. The star and flag system just seems to draw peoples attention to these ridiculous "fan fiction" threads (because lets face it - thats what they are, stories made up by people seeking attention or validation for their clearly unstable view of the world) instead of promoting discussion amongst the well articulated and researched topics that are becoming rarer every month/week/day.

Though there is still the odd diamond amongst all the horse s*** which is what keeps me coming back.