Where is the Value?

I have been TRYING to come back to ATS after limiting my time here and taking a break of over a month. I keep asking myself "what value am I getting" by being on ATS? I am addicted to seeing how what is posted what the current narratives are, but I don't feel better about myself for being here.

When I wake up in the morning and look out the window I see trees, birds and people going about their lives. This is the reality. The crazy stuff on the news and on ATS isn't real except on our televisions and computer screens.

I need to concentrate on volunteering in the community, being a good husband and a good father. I need to work on myself to be a better person. I need to take care of my physical and spiritual health.

How is arguing with someone on the internet doing any of these things that actually matter to me? The fact is they aren't. So, while I am still going to be stopping in occasionally to see what kind of OPs are posted, I plan to step back once again.

I have a great people in my life and things I want to accomplish in my community. I have people I want to help. I have walks in the park I need to take. I am a peaceful person and I only feel anger and increased discontent when I am on here.

Anyway, I hope you all take a moment to think about what is really important to you. I am not sure that arguing with political opponents is one of those...at least for me. I want peace for myself and for you.

I will see you around, but I can't continue to invest too much time here...this place is changed and not for the better.

Please be happy and take care of yourself.

I do many things for my family, friends and local community.
That's how I justify myself existence to the world.
I sleep with a clear conscience.
ATS is just a place to blow off some steam and rile up the natives.

I was afraid that the election wasn't going to stop this.

Sadly I was right. Now we have the national temper tantrum.

I am waiting for the conspiracy threads to start up again. I know they will. There is some great doom porn coming up this year.

a reply to: ketsuko

I know.

I kept thinking if I can just get through the election, but no. I am tired of being called a racist, bigot because I voted for someone who I think will better my life and that of my family. You can't have a dialogue with violent thugs.

There just isn't any value in arguing with some of these people. I have a great life and I am going to focus more on it instead of falling into a cycle of hate and anger. I don't need to give energy to those emotions.

I just signed up, now you worry me

My friend on facebook was talking about an article and linked me here a while back and I decided to join.

I thik its easier to discuss stuff in this format than on social media. So, here I am!

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: ketsuko

I know.

I kept thinking if I can just get through the election, but no. I am tired of being called a racist, bigot because I voted for someone who I think will better my life and that of my family. You can't have a dialogue with violent thugs.

There just isn't any value in arguing with some of these people. I have a great life and I am going to focus more on it instead of falling into a cycle of hate and anger. I don't need to give energy to those emotions.

Then beat them to death with positivity. Be a brutal inspiration. Stab them with kindness.

a reply to: Tokala

ATS is a great place. You made a fine choice.

I am just exhausted by the negativity and the election. I want a better life for me and my family and I am going to focus on that rather than argue with people that don't know me or understand what is important to me.

a reply to: Metallicus

I think thats where our disconnect is.. all of us. Things that we want in our lives and for our families and loved ones. I have a suspicion they are very similar across the political aisle

a reply to: Metallicus

You've rubbed me up the wrong way once or twice, maybe the feeling is mutual?

But, what you say is spot on. There is never really any need for negativity. We all eat, drink and defacate. We all want the same things in life. We all want nature to enjoy, friendly company and a stable family life.

Good on ya for wanting to volunteer, first time I chose it was because my life was crap and I wanted a perspective on how worse it can be.

Sometimes we forget the very human struggles a neighbour can have or how dreadful life is for those we live near.

wise choice

I don`t believe that anyone`s last thoughts before they died were:
" I wish I had spent more time arguing politics on the internet"

I enjoy your contributions

I do however understand stepping back for awhile.

a reply to: Metallicus

I need to concentrate on volunteering in the community, being a good husband and a good father. I need to work on myself to be a better person. I need to take care of my physical and spiritual health.

Funny, most people can do that regardless of who their president is by understanding which virtues to seek in life. These protestors have 99 First World problems and Trump isn't one of them. They're too afraid to look in the mirror and realize the underlying problem with society. Our lost ability to tolerate those who think and act differently than us.

a reply to: Metallicus

Just wanted to add that it's hard to make enemies in real life and just as difficult to make friends online.

Humans inherently don't like conflict individually, I often see negativity on these boards and I'd be a liar if I said it's never got to me.

But dude, we are humans... Behind the makeup we are all canny really. But, alas. The show goes on.

a reply to: Metallicus

I don't think negativity will solve anything. People dont magically change minds when someone yells at them to.

I know when my parents yelled at me to do something...I just wanted to do the opposite. I see it a lot of facebook. People yell and yell and they arent changing minds. I think people are just mad or angry and want to vent. People then take it to heart and yell back.

a reply to: Metallicus

Where is the value?
That's really it isn't it?

If something isn't bringing joy to one's life then isn't it fruitless to carry on with it?

I don't know that arguing on the internet is actually productive to any of those things that you listed as wanting to be better at or focus on. I try to stay out of those topics (political etc) as they are too toxic for me, personally, and I see nothing purposeful, for me, in languishing there.

You know, while the election was happening and while the protests are occurring, my life is still moving forward. There are still bills to pay, children to raise, upcoming holidays and where/who the children will be spending their time with, I will still go to work tomorrow and try, in my little world, to make a difference to folks who are so much less fortunate than any of us on this website.

My life hasn't stopped because of the elections/protests and it certainly hasn't changed one way or the other...yet...

I can certainly appreciate your 'rant' and sometimes, IMO, we know what we need both emotionally and psychologically.
Listening to ourselves and following our own direction can be the difficult part.

Good luck to you!

a reply to: Metallicus

You're making the right decision and I look forward to your future posts, however infrequently you may post. S&F. May the wind be at your back forever my friend.

a reply to: Metallicus
Where is the value??
I think maybe you enjoy self flagellating after a good thirty minute read or maybe we all do?? We have all become Muslim!

originally posted by: ketsuko
I was afraid that the election wasn't going to stop this.

Sadly I was right. Now we have the national temper tantrum.

I am waiting for the conspiracy threads to start up again. I know they will. There is some great doom porn coming up this year.

Come on man we've already had it.

Did you miss the threads about God intervening to stop Satan and his plans to brainwash Americans into voting for Hillary and instead guided them to vote for Trump?

Or the one where Trump prevented Nibiru and is going to expose the entire thing?

It's just getting started but I have absolutely no interest in baseless retarded # like that. I'm too busy for it and it's downright a symptom of something that is inherently wrong within humans and I'm not wasting my time on a level of sheer stupidity and inane lack of common sensical thinking to bother myself with it.

The real threads? The real conspiracies? The powers that be? The shadow government? The people who pull the strings behind the curtain? The thirteen royal families who have been around since the inception of human history and record keeping? The rise and fall of many "great empires," and the brazenly clear parallels in our society today? # - aliens?

I don't know. They don't exist anymore. I don't have the time to make threads and they get ignored. Everyone wants Twitter style headlines and nothing meaningful. It's what Americans want, at least in my opinion.

It's our freedom I suppose but the content surely is lacking. There was once a lot of talk about disinformation agents and the likes and I never thought much of it but now... I'm not too sure.

The 9/11 forum for instance was riddled with trolls and fishy content, but even that has all but dissipated. It makes me wonder.

a reply to: RAY1990

"Canny", now there's a word i haven't heard in years

You a Geordie Ray?

originally posted by: Metallicus
I have been TRYING to come back to ATS after limiting my time here and taking a break of over a month. I keep asking myself "what value am I getting" by being on ATS? I am addicted to seeing how what is posted what the current narratives are, but I don't feel better about myself for being here.

When I wake up in the morning and look out the window I see trees, birds and people going about their lives. This is the reality. The crazy stuff on the news and on ATS isn't real except on our televisions and computer screens.

I need to concentrate on volunteering in the community, being a good husband and a good father. I need to work on myself to be a better person. I need to take care of my physical and spiritual health.

How is arguing with someone on the internet doing any of these things that actually matter to me? The fact is they aren't. So, while I am still going to be stopping in occasionally to see what kind of OPs are posted, I plan to step back once again.

I have a great people in my life and things I want to accomplish in my community. I have people I want to help. I have walks in the park I need to take. I am a peaceful person and I only feel anger and increased discontent when I am on here.

Anyway, I hope you all take a moment to think about what is really important to you. I am not sure that arguing with political opponents is one of those...at least for me. I want peace for myself and for you.

I will see you around, but I can't continue to invest too much time here...this place is changed and not for the better.

Please be happy and take care of yourself.

I am going to agree with you 100%. Like everything else in life value is what we place on things. I've been debating this over the last couple of months and it isn't just US election fatigue, it's negativity drain. It's nobody's fault..not the site, not the members, just the world in general, and yet here all the bad stuff gets concentrated in one place and then we get bombarded when logging in. I used to find it simply informative, but lately my scales are tipping too much to the wrong side of things, and combined with real life it's just too depressing. I have tried to avoid reading threads that are too dramatic but they are few and far between. I rarely post anymore, and even more rarely talk to anyone. There is little or no benefit to logging in anymore, and I guess it's become break time for me as well. Hopefully focusing on the holidays and family will pull me out of this slump.
Take care Metallicus.