Negaitvity

In my few days that I have joined the site, I have found some good dialogue with some of ATS' members. However, I have found way too much negativity. Most of the threads are great topics to discuss. But, when I read replies, most of them are negative. Insults, put downs, and general trolling behaviour is presented as the norm. Now, I only speak for myself, but it appears that this is condoned and things should change regarding this.

Now, I know everything isn't rainbows and lollipops, but come on. This type of negative crap shys people away. I came here to learn and put in my 2 cents every now and then. I got my nerves up and started a thread and was hounded by a few people who wanted to remove the splinter from my eye, but didn't want to take the board out of theirs???What the hell? Constructive criticism I always accept, whereas, I am not perfect, but seriously. Why the negativity? Now, I am searching for another site and will tell my friends not to sign up for this reason. Maybe it's hard to digest for some of you to grasp that not all people are negative. You know who you are. Right now, you are saying 'Who is this guy coming on MY site telling me how to behave? Who does he think he really is?' I am one that is REALLY outside of the USA BS box. This site claims to have members who think outside of the box. Only a few that I can see. The rest of you are in a box, inside of the box you claim to be outside of. You are still in the box. Want to get out? First step: be able to take another persons opinion. You are not right nor wrong when you state an opinion. However, when you dismiss a person's opinion as being incorrect, then you are wrong. And that is ignorant.

Deny ignorance. Clean up the negativity.

Nice opinion,could you be more negative.Are you sure it's us ?After reading this post I'm not so sure.But of coarse after such a short time you are an expert.Sorry I humble myself before such greatness.After all being an american I should bow down to you.Thanks for the upbeat positive post.

reply to post by lonegurkha


Hahaha, I get it. No one should bow to me, American or not. It's a rant and I'm pissed.

Not everyone has it all sorted out. Most of us have to air our opinions & ideas & see how others respond.

While there is some negativity, it is only because someone else's view is deeply felt. you need to discern why people are opposed to a person or idea. "Deny Ignorance" could also be seen as negative.

reply to post by TheAnuraOne

Hi Anura,

Welcome to ATS,
Perhaps the best way to deal with the negativity, and there is some, not everyone of course, is to keep asking questions, especially to anyone who uses a put down.

reply to post by smurfy


Thanks Smurfy. I try to ask questions and instead of an answer, I get told what's wrong with me and my country. Maybe I was a little sensitive, but being new here I don't need any crap from a couple of pompous western hemisphere habitating cro-magnons.

OK, I read your thread, and you know what, You're not perfect and neither is any one else. If the replies in that thread UPSET YOU!!!!! Pick up your toys and go home, you really need some tougher skin to play in a Conspiracy Web Site that is as Global as ATS and another thing, not every one is going to talk nice to you when they want their Opinion Heard. Most Americans are Not Like Obama, We Won't Bow and Kiss Your Skinny Behind.
Most of us don't mind a good fight, if you can take it and you can stand on your own two feet, bring it on, if you wear your feelings out on your sleeves, you're going to get them hurt.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by guohua


Ok, duly noted, but I will not bow to you Americans as well. Agreed? By the way, I don't play with toys.

I’m just not getting that loving feeling from this thread

Rant:–verb (used without object)
1.
to speak or declaim extravagantly or violently; talk in a wild or vehement way; rave: The demagogue ranted for hours.
–verb (used with object)
2.
to utter or declaim in a ranting manner.
–noun
3.
ranting, extravagant, or violent declamation.
4.
a ranting utterance.
Origin:
1590–1600; < Dutch ranten (obsolete) to talk foolishly

Not everyone at ATS has the grace and eloquence that some of our long time members and mods have.
But they do try to set an example for the rest of us to follow.

I read the other thread of yours, that ghohua linked, just scan read your OP and a bit of the responses.

Yeah, the politics people here - alot have their ideas 'set in stone' and they want to 'pitch' those and argue against others.

Some are just stubborn, some may be the fabled "dis info agents".

I stay away from such discussions for the most part - as - I figure - people who have their mind made up, and/or ideas in stone - yes - you cannot really change them - or even try to explain things either.

No matter what the subject - if people don't want to hear the other side - they'll not bother to listen. Or only enough to launch into their own thoughts.

Maybe try to read and participate in some other things here, there are alot of other topics. And - if you are interested in politics or social issues or government etc - there are people too who do engage in serious discussion on those things - you just have to wade through alot of crap to find them

Evidently even the UFO forums are full of "haters", "dis info", and crapola here too - so. As is the whole of Teh Innernets in general.

There are many Americans who do not really understand various political systems, let alone the underlying philosophy of them, this is a general net forum - not a political science or government class. And many people only know what the Talking Head / Media Propagandizer of their choice has told them.

Would you try to discuss the properties of plastics, combined with food chemistry, to your dog? That only sees a food bowl?

You have to hunt for people with even a half a brain. Goes for this place too.

I hear what you're saying anyway, there's alot of 'negativity' all over the place. If I find myself getting sucked into it, I try to hang back a bit and "rise above it".

And - direct that energy towards finding more worthwhile discussions here - and it goes for life in general too - avoid the boneheads.

Anyway, stick around, there are plenty of good people here and plenty of interesting ideas

reply to post by Whiffer Nippets


Thanks Whiffer Nippets. Like I said, I came out of myself on my other thread and t's my fault. No one else's/ I'm not perfect and neither are they. I guess what it all boils down to is I thought too highly (at first) of ATS and set myself up for a let down.

I can take constructive criticism, and you're right. Wish there was a reset button.

Thanks again. Politics are not for me

reply to post by Klassified


In honesty, there are certain older members who could give any newer member a run for their money in the rudeness stakes.

I've noticed this too, OP. I don't see why people have to respond in such a hostile manner, at all. If you have a point to make, make it- but I don't understand why you need to belittle people at the same time. All it serves to do is distract from the actual substance of your post, and lower the general atmosphere of the board. Thing is, when you start the hostilities, because you feel your "opponent" has made an invalid point, you're more likely to make them stick with their belief, out of pure stubborness, because you've made it a personal issue, fueled by emotion, instead of fact.

At the end of the day, we all make mistakes, and some people on here are only young- there's no need to be a complete bellend purely because someone has slipped up.

reply to post by ScepticalBeliever

Agreed. That's why I said some, not all.

So should I expect hostility, due to the errances I made in my thread, in the future? Or, are grudges the norm around here? Seriously.

reply to post by Klassified


Haha, sorry, genuinely didn't notice that- 1am here, pretty sleep deprived. Having said that, I still don't necessarily think that membership time and levels of manners, or whatever, are proportional- even as a general rule. Just the other day, I saw an admin being particularly rude, sarcastic and condescending- although, there were several on the opposite side of the fence acting the same, but I thought admins were supposed to be above all that. Everyone's human, I suppose.

reply to post by ScepticalBeliever

Sounds like you're becoming addicted to ATS. A serious malady. Better get some sleep.

I guess my main point was that we do have some stellar members and mods here. And I wish more posters would follow their example. It would greatly increase the quality of content, and civility of the whole site.

So anyway welcome to ATS Really do hope you'll stick around for a while not everyone here is a jerk like me. most of them are really smart and really love to debate a topic.I'm just a cranky old man.I'm also a proud american.I won't attack your country if you don't attack mine fair enough?

reply to post by lonegurkha


Sounds like a plan to me. Thanks for the 'welcome'.