Shock Value? What is with the lack of compassion for other humans lately on this site?

I dunno..

I left for a bit after the OPPT Scam thread to go have surgery. I came back a few months afterwards and while yes there are some rather interesting topics afoot, some of the longer standing ones (Take your pick, Sandy Hook, Colorado, 9/11 etc) have had to be closed days after they are made because people seem to have some major issue being civil to one another?

It's really simple.. honest, takes almost no brain cells too...

1) If you wouldn't say the comment to someone's face, don't.
2) If you think that the comment will be taken totally the wrong way, and if you were stupid enough to say it to someone's face and you would probably end up on the ground beaten, don't.
3) Conspiracies are awesome to theorize about, but when you start really hurting other people and claiming as fact, your theory based on long lines of unrelated claptrap, see number 1.
4) Finally, again, the people typing responses, and maybe just reading the site (and sometimes people involved in the very incidents you are tearing apart) are HUMAN BEINGS and have feelings, and they have emotions, what they can't because you don't think they should? WRONG, we all do, we need to understand that..

oh and 5) To typo is human, constantly going into threads and ripping people over typing mistakes, would fall under category ONE, it's easy to be brave and nasty when you can't see the person on the other end, but you don't know what they are dealing with, I mention this one because people seem to love to rip into my typos, well, I have nerve damage in my hands, it's not always easy to type, I mess up, I'm human.. don't like it, don't say anything, it will serve you better.

See how hard is that? If you wouldn't like to be the receiver then just don't so it to begin with, did it cost you anything? no, does it hurt you to do it? NO, and will it make discussions work better so we don't't have to fish through hours of "POST REMOVED" YES...

Sheesh.. now i need coffee..... Where's Crackeur with the keys to my coffee shed..

Did your surgery go all right? Hope you are feeling ok.

AAAH, my error correction died on me today for some reason. I guess I need to go check it out.

Got it fixed now Sorry for getting off topic.

It runs in cycles for some reason. It doesn't usually last that long

reply to post by vkey08


good common sense suggestions you posted, and thanks for using paragraphs, (I can't read hugh posts that is all 1 paragraph)

reply to post by vkey08


Come join the coffee thread ~~~>> www.abovetopsecret.com... we are up to 385pages... I think...

All good hearted, sweet people on there that enjoy a cuppa joe and just chat. I don't drink coffee but they let me hang around anyway

I know...this site is rough, and imo...it's always been pretty rough. I do agree that too many people care about grammar when it truly doenst matter..imo..

Hope you have a great day and enjoy every moment

Peace and love to you ~~~>>>
-nat

Eta--I see you're a coffee czar..have you already been to the coffee thread before?
-nat the curious cat-

Ya - I have been ambushed by the Spelling Nazis, bushwhacked by the Guardians of Grammar, and just a few days ago on ATS, pulled over by the Etymology Police. The only thing left is to be hit up by the Style Stasi (Strunk and White Division).

reply to post by natalia


Appointed position by the ATS Regent I think I hit that thread early on I can't remember now it's been so long AHHHHH ..

And I saw it in a thread I am participating in today.

People couldn't give "civil" responses, the attack blinders are on even though no attack was warranted, just differing opinions.. It seems to be becoming the norm around here, and it's troubling..

Lazarus Short
(Strunk and White Division).

Haha! Thanks. That put a smile on my face. I thought I was the only person who remembered Strunk and White! No worries... I won't hit you up with it. Mine is so old now it would probably fall apart if I did. But I'll never give it up. I actually still refer to it every so often

reply to post by vkey08


It's the plan. Divide and conquer. Blame our fellow Americans first. Turn us against each other. Keep us so busy hating and fighting each other over our woes that we never stand together actually do what's right for everyone. It's worked rather well for quite a while now, but this bubble will burst one day too. Even those who think they're on top now, and are quite willing to trample anyone underfoot to stay on there, will one day look up to realize they are being trampled from above as well.

We're all in this together, whether we like it or not, or whether we believe it or not. If we don't take care of each other and protect each other from tyranny, sooner or later we'll all be eaten alive by the beast.

reply to post by vkey08



yep. the hate floweth from the top most level of those chosen to govern. the crap runs downhill, and we're all # on.

Don't be alarmed that the bottom overturns the top in a brutal yet rational manner.

I agree with being civil. I think threads have been censored lately though. Anyone questions the mainstream story of certain events, it attracts trolls, and the thread is killed off. You should kill off the trolls NOT the people who genuinely question the ridiculous "facts". This is a conspiracy site still, right? Sometimes I wonder. I mean really, 1 person can have a thread where they claim to know the creator of top secret flying triangles, but a thread that somewhere in it has the words sandy hook is shut down. Sorry, crap logic.

EDIT: by the way, I have seen a flying triangle with my own two eyes, I lived near one of the biggest air force bases in the country most my life. But I also question certain so called facts about the sandy hook affair.

Bundy
I agree with being civil. I think threads have been censored lately though. Anyone questions the mainstream story of certain events, it attracts trolls, and the thread is killed off. You should kill off the trolls NOT the people who genuinely question the ridiculous "facts". This is a conspiracy site still, right? Sometimes I wonder. I mean really, 1 person can have a thread where they claim to know the creator of top secret flying triangles, but a thread that somewhere in it has the words sandy hook is shut down. Sorry, crap logic.

EDIT: by the way, I have seen a flying triangle with my own two eyes, I lived near one of the biggest air force bases in the country most my life. But I also question certain so called facts about the sandy hook affair.

edit on 6-12-2013 by Bundy because: (no reason given)

Oh absolutely, this is a conspiracy site.. and discussing them is awesome which is why I am a member, but there has to be some civility

reply to post by vkey08


I think there is a distinction to be made here. In general I agree, that civility is one of the most important things about communication, because without it, all communication becomes confrontation, and that is not at all helpful. Also I would agree that most of the time, the spelling and grammar of a post is not as important as clearness of intent, and sentiment.

However, when someone says something so utterly, GROSSLY morally repugnant, that a response must be made, one ought to be honest about how that statement makes one feel, because failing to counter an argument based in ignorance, hatred, and intolerance, is no better than committing such abuses ones self. Sometimes a struggle is necessary in order to ensure that righteousness is represented at least equally as often as corruption.

On the subject of spelling and grammar, yes, it is true that not all threads are about subject matter which requires supremely accurate communication, based as they are on topics which have no requirement for scientific analysis, or specific points of data, which might be lost in translation. However, when a statement is made on a topic which DOES have a scientific angle, like anything related to UFOs, aliens, anything which might pertain to a forensic knowledge or investigation, anything which requires understanding of orbital mechanics, probabilistic analysis and so on, these subjects MUST be discussed with precision, clarity, and correctness, because in such matters, the devil is in the details. Lazy, and ineffective communication where such things are concerned, leads to confusion, reinforces inaccuracy, and skews the result of any investigation or discussion based upon a premise so poorly delivered!

That is clearly not acceptable, and to think otherwise provides a bulwark for, rather than a bastion against ignorance. I am not against the odd typo, but there is a certain point at which communication of a decently effective nature, becomes impossible, and that is not something to let slide here on ATS, because as a community we depend entirely upon our ability to share information, thoughts, and feelings.

Boadicea

Lazarus Short
(Strunk and White Division).

Haha! Thanks. That put a smile on my face. I thought I was the only person who remembered Strunk and White! No worries... I won't hit you up with it. Mine is so old now it would probably fall apart if I did. But I'll never give it up. I actually still refer to it every so often

Yes, thanks - my own copy is FAR from new...

I was in a bit of a smart-ass mood when I wrote that, and that sometimes seems to be when I'm most creative...

vkey08

See how hard is that? If you wouldn't like to be the receiver then just don't so it to begin with, did it cost you anything? no, does it hurt you to do it? NO, and will it make discussions work better so we don't't have to fish through hours of "POST REMOVED" YES...

I can't tell you how many threads I stop reading because of the part i highlighted.

I find many cool OPs but the conversation is nothing but insults and one liners to be funny, those annoy me. If the main page is all arguing chances are I won't even bother with page 2.


I see these types of comments all over the internet though. Just read any internet forum where you can leave comments. People are nasty and confrontational. They are acting all big and bad behind the screen. It's crazy and makes some sites almost impossible to read and or enjoy anymore.

reply to post by vkey08


Some people lack compassion in real life and I guess this is mirrored on such sites as ATS.

Some people really are small minded, egotists only prepared to believe their own ideas no matter how much logic and sense are put in front of them.

Such people should probably steer clear of discussion sites because of their irrational limitations unless willing to listen and let others say their opinions and experiences without judgement.

You may be right. I'v been here a couple years, and I have noticed that as
Yahoo changes it's comment formats and entire page layouts, that the chronic bichers are forced to spew their venom elsewhere. I'v also noticed the 'parrots' have become rather numerous in the last year or so, parroting every news bit that comes around that might attract a 'different' audience, you know, the ATS type or C2C listeners.

I believe this has alienated a sizable segment of ATS readers and members the same way those friends on Facebook do who parrot every juicy news item and pretend to be concerned individuals. Then load up their site with useless juicy krap. I think you know what I mean, them wanting to be the news before it happens.
It's easy to blame everyone else for the woes of the world, be a second guessing armchair commando, and it takes considerably more to rise to action. Their lives are vicarious, while being a Vet, I have actually done..... They are usually short lived though. It should be the opposite, but the line between truth and pure fiction is becoming opaque and blurred, no real effort to tell the truth. Look at our president...... who embraces lies to deflect his failures.

I feel you, OP.

If you're not a powerfully homosexual advocate, if you like guns, or if you have any strong beliefs in general, many ATS trendys will hang you dry for it. Its almost as if discrimination no longer works both ways, ya know?

If you aren't into homosexuality, you're a bigot. Its perfectly okay for folks to call you a bigot. Or a psychotic murderer, ignorant redneck, brainwashed yankee, if you happen to be a gun owner. See, its perfectly okay to call those people names.

But if you use any borderline offensive term towards the homosexual community (many times its not intended to be offensive, its just an expression of one's personal beliefs that happen to differ from their community), you are subject to the same kind of discrimination that they whine about receiving. See, if THEY'RE the ones bashing, its okay.

I'm not talking about homosexuality exclusively, not at all.

Just using it as an example.

If you are white and you are a victim of any kind of hate crime, no one cares. White people don't matter. Only colored folks who are discriminated against matter. See? Racism doesn't work both ways either.

If you are an Alex Jones listener, you're ridiculed and called names for it.

If you have any kind of faith in a higher power, despite whatever religion you are, people ridicule you and often suggest that you are insane and completely brainwashed by an evil religion mind-control machine.

If you post a thread that references homosexuality in any way--and its not in favor of it--its removed, after being overwhelmingly flamed and bashed.

If you don't believe in the Zionist conspiracy, and you don't believe that Jews rule the world, then you are a close minded shill and an Alex-Jones-paint-chip-eater.

Oh, any my favorite--if you have any personal crisis and you DARE to post it on ATS for advice or support, prepare to get flamed, bashed, and hurt.

I once posted an impulse thread after my best friend--now my fiance--tried to kill himself, and I got called a liar, an attention seeker, and so on... oh, and I even had a couple of people suggest it was my fault that my friend tried to commit suicide. I also got the pleasure of seeing ATSers call my friend names for being "stupid enough to kill himself."

Since then, I've barely been on ATS.

I couldn't sleep for about two days after that happened, and I've had enough trouble with suicidal friends... I don't need a bunch of anonymous attention-seeking shock-value-craving losers bashing me and my loved ones, people they know NOTHING about.

I make damn sure not to post ANYTHING too personal on ATS anymore.

Clearly, this site is only good for arguing and hurting one another, excluding a few good friends I've made here, which is the single and ONLY reason I am still on ATS.

Point being, you're absolutely right, OP.

I could post more, but I think we all get the point.

The list goes on and on...

www.abovetopsecret.com...


This is a thread I remind people of when they turn into grammer and punctuation Nazis, then I say I thought it was determined by the ATS community at large that we were not going to be rude to people about punctuation and typo errors. I was here for three years as a lurker before signing up as a member, and have now been a member, for almost two years. Also as to rudeness I have only one time become overzealous in defense of my position on a thread started by someone else, after about three banter posts between myself and the person who started the thread, I realized what was happening and I recused myself from the thread by posting that I was ending my involvement in that thread because I could see that my perspective in that thread was making the op angry. However I did not apologize because I still believe that my solution to the problem is the right one. When I was just a lurker here things were more civil that was why I became a member here , because we could talk about pretty much any subject in a rational manner without fear of ridicule or obnoxious behavior, but it has been about the past six months or so that certain members have started behaving in a very obnoxious manner.

reply to post by DonVoigt


And there is nothing wrong with the odd misspelling, and a grammatical failure here and there. But some folks posts are barely readable, the intent entirely hidden by their inability to communicate in anything like an effective manner. That is not acceptable. I am not saying that every post ought to have all its capital letters, apostrophes, commas, and hyphens in the correct place, because that would be a ridiculous expectation, bearing in mind the differences in education (not to mention how much love of the written word can be mustered by a given poster) between us all. However, a bare minimum requirement must be met, and that requirement is different dependent on the subject matter.

Detail light topics, which focus more heavily on feelings and emotions than facts and evidence, lend themselves very well to a free form discussion, free from the clutter that linguistic norms represent. However, topics on which science and technology have a bearing, these matters are best discussed using careful, clear, concise, and READABLE language!