What has ATS Become?

What has ATS Become?

Remember when a guy could make a thread about politics without offending the local conspiracy theorists?

I was just reminiscing about the good old days of ATS. I remember coming here to engage in free and open debate, where the grindstone of argument and disputation kept the mind sharp, lest it become dull in soft conformity and group consensus. It was beneficial reading the arguments of those whose opinions differ from mine, especially in political matters. Sure I was called a few names, and many of my own arguments were outright dismissed instead of considered, but I no less got the chance to organize my thoughts on a myriad of real-world matters that are affecting the world today.

But what has ATS become?

Now it’s no more than a complaints department. Now it’s thread after thread of the grievance and grumbling of those opining for days when Big Foot, ancient aliens and chemtrails were more than glints in their eyes. They demand the user-generated content of the site conform to their wants and desires without having to do it themselves. They have created more threads about their complaints than they have about their favourite topics, tipping ATS into a decadence I fear we cannot escape. They want threads on rocks from Mars that look like faces, the Illuminati, and out of body experiences, yet their own threads consist mainly of their disappointed bellyaching, and the subsequent back-patting of those who agree with them.

One thing we do know, they do not want anything to do with politics, except when they want to complain about it. “There’s that damned politics again”. But, as Plato always said, one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. The same can be said of ATS, in a way. The penalty for refusing to participate in ATS is that you end up looking like a self-aggrandizing mug when you do nothing but complain about it.

Welcome to the world you’ve helped create ladies and germs.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
Now it’s no more than a complaints department. Now it’s thread after thread of the grievance and grumbling of those opining for days when Big Foot, ancient aliens and chemtrails were more than glints in their eyes. They demand the user-generated content of the site conform to their wants and desires without having to do it themselves.

That is the part I do not understand, if you do not like the content do something to create change in the content.

It is not that difficult to make a non-political thread.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I've always adopted the 'be the change you wish to see' attitude.

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
I've always adopted the 'be the change you wish to see' attitude.

Same. That's how that silly Softball thread came about. I ran a few ideas past the mods and got the okay. It's non-political and lighthearted.

If you want to make a Bigfoot thread, make one and stop bitching about politics.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

It's awesome! I just saw a self-proclaimed misanthrope complaining about complaints, lovely stuff. Haters gonna hate, right?

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

i think people are just tired of the same verbose nonsensical and moronic tripe reiterating the same things over and over.
its the same spammers clinging on their dignity by thinking repetition equals persuasion and now people are starting to complain about people complaining about how tired they are of the same threads...

ATS used to have their motto emboldened outright "Deny Ignorance", now its encouraged. the moment an argument which borders on the academic or critical of anything, the mongs begin to insert their comfort words "triggered" and the like, and now its "hypocrites" thats making the rounds, in an effort to dismiss actual political discussion.

So yea, i would much rather revert to the conspiracy site i frequented years before actually joining instead of the partisanship high school like banter the usual suspects spam the rest of us with on a daily basis.

a reply to: PublicOpinion

It's awesome! I just saw a self-proclaimed misanthrope complaining about complaints, lovely stuff. Haters gonna hate, right?

I just saw a satirical component fly over someone's head and and beneath their knees.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
I've always adopted the 'be the change you wish to see' attitude.

Same. That's how that silly Softball thread came about. I ran a few ideas past the mods and got the okay. It's non-political and lighthearted.

If you want to make a Bigfoot thread, make one and stop bitching about politics.

I thought that was just you getting back to shilling and trying to gather information on members....

And yes, you may interpret that how you wish.

a reply to: odzeandennz

I'm tired of the bad punctuation and grammar, personally. The rest I can live with or do it myself.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
I thought that was just you getting back to shilling and trying to gather information on members....

And yes, you may interpret that how you wish.

Shhh! Don't blow my cover, my dossier is still a work in progress.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

If you want to make a Bigfoot thread, make one and stop bitching about politics.

Always my thoughts. And it's not like they all always jump all over se sci-tech stuff which forevermore does tend to be out of this world territory.

But for real, what's better than this:
(VERIFIED) BREAKING Incredible!!!! Man comes forward with Physical Proof of Bigfoot (VERIFIED)

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I've been here a long, long time. It seems pretty much the same to me.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Shamrock6
I thought that was just you getting back to shilling and trying to gather information on members....

And yes, you may interpret that how you wish.

Shhh! Don't blow my cover, my dossier is still a work in progress.

Never stop "researching," amigo

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

I just read a couple really good threads in the past few minutes, neither was political.

Scientists get the green light to resurrect the dead.

Flippy robot takes over the hamburger station in California restaurant.

originally posted by: TheBulk
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I've been here a long, long time. It seems pretty much the same to me.

2015 is a long time?

I haven't complained yet, but then I enjoy politics, religion, and certain facets of conspiracy like the NWO and illuminati as well as having a fascination with prophecy.

So I'm fairly happy although I do miss the threads on the conspiracy oriented stuff. They've been thin since the election cycle.

It does often seem that a lot of these gripe threads or more about being irritated with these partisan hack types who chastise people for being CT types / entertainers / 'theorists' / whatever, and that they've been run off leaving this place as a partisan bickering, diarrhea pissing match zone (especially compared to like 10 years ago). If only liberal Identity Politics didn't set the world of left/right drama ablaze, it wouldn't be so bad. (the same ones who disrespect people whom dont believe that the government is the best thing since cheddar cheese, and that the new Millennium means everything is about THEM)

I have made my share of non political threads and have not created a single complaint thread. Though I have used other peoples compliant threads as an excuse to vent.

I would say my most political thread is Trump Versus the Robots but it has more to do with automation then trump I just used the click bate tittle to draw people in.

I can say though I do not feel an overwhelming urge to write anything epic when it is likely to get a few responses flags and then be buried by a ton of MUD. If Im feeling this way Im sure then many other writers are feeling the same and do not have a great desire to write anything insightful.

Who wants to put effort into something only to see it get buried by click bate mudpit threads that get numerous flags for bellow average content.

a reply to: SolAquarius

That happens to epic politic threads, too.