It was fun

I love this site, for what it represents, what it could become, what it should be. For the survivalists here who have helped me, for those departed who I remember, for all seeking knowledge in the survival world, thank you so kindly for your posts, your insight, your wisdom.

Because of you, I have a new hope for survivalists everywhere. The US, the UK, Spain, even Russia and places like AU and Finland. I found a kelly kettle and a blast match thanks to this site, decided to "bug in" for 10 days to see if I could do it, but in the end, the lunatics who have hijacked this site have killed it for me.

In survival, my favorite forum, its gun nuts, US haters, and politics, no ideas, no debates, just useless drivel that may garner some points.

In breaking news, its anti US, Pro VS Anti Obama, one line BS, and posters backing others like them. No debate on ideas or facts, just a quick sound bite. I can get that from network news and not burn up my online time. I dont even go into the politics or religion forum, and I pray for the mods of them.

ATS could be something so great, ideas world wide, intelligent debate, great alternative topics such as aliens and ufos whom the MSM ignores, yet it all boils down to someone under a screen name blasting or flaming an idea without thinking about the OP's point of view.

When I found ATS, I was excited. A new world of ideas, of debate, of working together to find a solution, as I expect was intended. But, it has turned into a wasteland of one liners, wanna be politicos, Christian haters, and even people who hate ATS for its very limited restrictions on freedom of speech.

As a survivalist, I hope against hope, that the admins can fix this site and bring it to its full potential as it has so much. Its a great thing that SO created and a shame to see it be torn down. For those I know and work with, I hope to see you again somewhere else. For those who do not agree with me, I hope to engage with you on another field. For those I dont know, please please work to keep this site honorable and give ideas and people the respect they deserve, even if you dont agree with them. Be open to new ideas, new thought no matter what.

I dont know if this is in the wrong forum, but I am a survivalist before anything else, and ATS needs to be also. So I bid you goodbye my favorite web forum, I will check back from time to time to see if sanity now reigns, and I will hope for the best. Either that, or I have grabbed my INCH bag and I am in the woods where I belong.

Sad.. But I hope you get there well.
I havent been here too long my self, and posting an thought or an idea or even try to mix two topics together is clearly an taboo here.

I dislike the people coming here and just want to debunk what you present without even thinking about the possibility that it could be more..

But , a good forum is 2012forum if you like ideas on preparing for the worst and hoping for the best...

2012Forum

And this one:
After the Lights Go Out

And go in peace and listen to that inner voice, it can tell you small bits of important information sometimes..

Thanks so much for letting us know you are leaving. I wish you could stay but I do understand your need to fly.

So many times we begin to miss members and wonder what ever happened to them. We will know you are hopefully safe and sane somewhere.

I have a prediction to make. I believe you will probably be back under your present name or a new one. I can hope can't I?

If you must leave then go with God. May the sun always shine on your back. Keep your ears clean and be safe and sane.

Marilyn

You aren't the only one who has left ATS, the section is quieter now than when I joined it early last year.
I go on another forum now, but always pop in to see if any decent threads and things come up.

Part of the problem is that being from the UK we've not got the gun access the USA survivalists have so feel excluded from a lot of the gun side of it.
Also we've got less of the outdoors too.

But my main gripe with this section is that too many people just want to harvest and give nothing back to the forum. I and many of my buddies have posted some really cool threads on here but the response has been tumbleweed in some cases. Makes me think people aren't interested in the creativity and more in the bang bang bang.

So many people have left for the same reasons. I too have cut my posting down and very seldom come here any more. when I do its quick in, see if any thing is interesting and get out before The minnows bite me.

I am still a forum junkie and always will be but I stick mainly to my own forum now. At least there it is focused on survival only. Not survival/politics/religion/conspiracy. I learned if you try to make a all in one it turns into a all in none.

I guess it had to be expected the mind set of the conspiracy theorist is very firm and will not under any circumstance be moved from its path. Of course along with the conspiracy theorist comes the debunker who is just as firm in there mind set.

Get the two minds together and nothing is safe and the arguments never get solved. That in essence is why things went down hill fast. Also People saying absolutes, with no room for error. They should be saying things like "In my opinion, and "The way I see it".

Funny thing is It has been a full circle for most of us. It was Conspiracy/politics/religion that brought us to ATS and it Conspiracy/politics/religion that chases us away.

So for now I will stick with my site and continue to stop here every couple of days for a few moments at a time hoping to see things swinging back to what they were when the survival minded first pushed to get the survival boards started on ATS. it will come around again it always does. Well that's my view any way.

reply to post by salchanra


You're not the only one feeling the same has happened Salchanara...quite a number have noticed that same and have chosen to follow plans to bug-out and make route to an alternative RZ

The situation has already started, the RZ scouted and secured, and it's not so much BO, as INCH



[edit on 20-4-2009 by citizen smith]

Originally posted by WatchRider
Part of the problem is that being from the UK we've not got the gun access the USA survivalists have so feel excluded from a lot of the gun side of it. Makes me think people aren't interested in the creativity and more in the bang bang bang.

Unfortunately that is so true. I live in the US, have access to guns, but i realize they are a tool and not a guarantee of my survival. Most on here think having guns guarantees it and don't realize only knowledge does!

reply to post by salchanra


It's a shame,but what you say is very true.

Hopefully,in due course,the measures recently put into place by SO to set a character minimum will dissuade the 'casual commenter' from posting all the "I agree" type entries.
Maybe the effort required to put together more than 100 characters will burn out their synapses

One of the downfalls of becoming such a large site is,the VERY low percentage of worthless 'contributions' still translates into large numbers.

I replied to a thread yesterday which posed an interesting question,a real quest for some further knowledge and read the 'reply' from one such example..

Literally a one word answer (totally incorrect too I may add) followed by a couple of lines of bollux.. a rap theme tune..to get past the minimum limit.

TWICE!!.

It was removed,rightly so..but it's still sad to see even the new measures not getting through to some.

Maybe a time for sterner measures,which of course would lead to it's own set of problems and accusations of 'uneven moderation' or 'censorship'

If it means losing 'contributors' of this 'quality' then I know which I'd prefer to see.

I used to participate in the lighter side with enthusiasm,but times,attitudes and political climates change.
Time to keep everything in it's appropriate place I think.

Certainly the Survi side needs a little more serious input these days,and I do include myself in this too.
Things don't seem quite so funny anymore with recent events.

I think there are still many good posts on the survival forums. Not all are gun nuts and insane people. I myself post on this forum and i believe i've contributed some good stuff. Also this forum introduced me to a brilliant little tool used for sawing large logs. It's a hand powered chainsaw thing and i purchased one after reading members reviews. It really cuts threw the wood like no other hand powered tool i know of.

There are many other useful posts that have been put up here and i value them. As always i think it's about sorting through the barrel of coal for the odd diamond.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


Yeah, I bought myself the same model after Dan Tanna reviewed it.
I'd already had a couple of smaller 'emergency kit' style ones with key ring style loops and strap versions.

But this baby rocks. Very recommended.

www.101gear.com...
Random link so people know what item it is.

it is a shame but many grow up and grow out. There are still a few here that make good post and are familiar with their topic. I will be sorry to see you go but growth is always good and expansion is part of growth . Best of luck. I hope you found some good info here.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

Originally posted by AGENT_T
reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984

 

Yeah, I bought myself the same model after Dan Tanna reviewed it.
I'd already had a couple of smaller 'emergency kit' style ones with key ring style loops and strap versions.

But this baby rocks.

Very recommended.

www.101gear.com...
Random link so people know what item it is.

Yep that's the one, thanks very much for finding a link to it. It really is one of the best tools i've come across. I have the standard laplander folding saw but for big work this hand powered chainsaw is amazing. I've used those ones you get in survival kits that are a long wire with two handles, the problem is that if you use them vigorously they often heat up and snap. Having to use them slowly takes up time and energy and there is always the risk that they'll break.

The chainsaw version is curled up inside my mess tin, so it takes up no extra room and isn't that heavy. Really a brilliant tool and without this forum i may never have come across it.

Wow, do I gotta defend ATS again? It's not really my style...

I understand what you have said but can you step back for a moment? First, the main thing to remember is that Survivalists are a unique bunch, prone to statements like, "It was fun." and so on. The message is clear: I'm outta here!

But certainly Survivalists are gonna bug out, for is that not what they do? So nobody's surprised when a survivalist posts about bugging out because the forum has changed. So yeah, how about just bugging out an checking back in two years? I myself took a whole year off ATS and found that life was great. So then world events made me come back and begin annoying people again. So for me anyway, these things go in cycles.

Now, sure, I've thought about taking another break, but I have no doubt that somehow, when I come back, Skeptic and crew will have a place for me to rant under this pseudonym I got. I believe everything posted on ATS has a special place in the world's heart and will not be lost. The data has been archived for better or worse.

This is actually my favorite forum (survival) but I rarely post because I am generally interested more in other things which are precursors to total collapse that is to say, it is not yet time to give up on civilization. I also sympathize with the non-US folks who've mentioned that gun chatter is not the whole of survival and I think a lot of gun nuts (who are great Americans no doubt) place too much trust in their steel. Myself, I think that if Sit X its, I'll be able to get guns pretty cheaply if I need them. I'll just grab an AK off a dead enemy soldier or there'll be someone tossing me a .22 LR and I'm good. Point is: Too much gun talk creates a less able human. Survival is about berries also.

Hey, don't get fed up! ATS hasn't had a major schism and I think that's because the mods are chosen well and have a subtle hand against what is a growing tide of childish one or two line posts. I am stunned by people who complain about the minimum character count. How can survivalists be willing to take 10 steps to create fire from two sticks yet expect the Internet to be better than two sticks? Uhm, point is, survival as a human and also running a site like ATS both involve a lot more than just a trigger-pull.

Again, this forum is the best on ATS, but the subject of 'survival' doesn't come up in relation to the site for ATS itself it poised to be around even after Sit X hits. SO guards the hard drives with a Bowie knife clutched in his teeth 24/7.

smallpeeps,

Have never heard from you, glad to see your reply.

I appreciate your defense of ATS, it is a great site. I have never had any problems with Admin or with the Mods. Honestly, I respect the mods here greatly. They do a wonderful job and deal with a good deal of nuts.

No, survivalists do not bug out when things dont go their way. We are prepared to bug out or leave for good should the need arise. I have been gone awhile now, and must state I do miss ATS and the membership here. Those who were insightful and intelligent added alot to this forum and this site. But how many times can you look at a thread about moving to Alaska looking for advice and 9 out 10 answers is either about the movie about McCandless or about a big gun?

I am glad you love this site as I once did and hope to again someday. It truely could be something wonderful. Admin tries their best, the Mods are exceptional, 90% of the members are good, thoughfull people. Its the small minority that led me and a majority of the survival posters away.

The Mods of survival IMO have always had an easy job. We are a small group, never flame, never start threads that are hateful, racist, god loving or hating, gun zealots, yet some members manage to turn our threads into those things. Thats what has driven us off.

I hope in my heart and soul for the future of ATS, I hope someday I return as a full time contributing member again. But for the now, I will check in every so often in survival and browse some other forums to see if it is debate or just the spewing of insults and hatred to garner points and stars. I truely do hope for the former.

reply to post by dizziedame


Dizzie,

I am still part of society, as sad as that may be to me. I will still check on here from time to time, may even post to other threads if I think I can help someone with a problem.

The sun is always on my back, the owl never speaks my name, and the river is never too wide.

Life is good, even in my in and out with civilization and the woods.

I miss this site, I really do, but the lunatics and short posters ruined it. I see there is a new character count, Ill be watching that and hoping for the best.

So Im not gone for good, if I were, I would have said so, thats how I am.

As to you Cit Smith. You are a good person, a great contributer to this site, I hope you can be part of the changes that are needed here.

WR. I understand that. In the US, for some of us, guns are a way of life, of living. I cant imagine not having one. To see people post nothing but pics or politics about guns must annoy you greatly, it would me. When nearly every thread eventually involves a debate about guns, how can one stay involved when they have no knowledge or say in the matter?

Im Reality. Yes. I would agree. You have contributed many fine posts to this forum. Its people like you why I hung on as long as I did. Maybe there are some good posts in survival, and in other forums as well, its the weeding through the useless ones and the political ones and the flaming ones that just got too hard for me on a site I am supposed to enjoy.

Whatever happened to Dan Tanna anyways?

I leave you again. This time with more hope than the last time I was here. Maybe its due to spring, or my gardens or the fish getting ready to run. But I must say, from the posts here and what I have read elsewhere tonight, ATS may be headed towards what I envisioned when I first came here 2 years before I created a profile.

For those of you who frequent survival, thank you for staying the course and trying to share your wisdom or ask how you too can prepare. For those of you reading in here for the first time. Ask a question to these good people, listen to their answer without a closed mind, you can learn alot from them.

Until next time.

Salchanra

The mistake you may have made is thinking that ATS is a collection of different forums under one umbrella, as if there are separate boards for UFOs, politics and then survival. It's one big forum with separate rooms, and people frequent different areas.

The problem, IMHO, is that ATS' goal is not to become the best survival site (or even a really good one) on the web, but that is what you'd expect from a great site like this. Survival is just a forum to create more traffic to the site itself. The goal is to get more members, more posts and more traffic.

This is why so many sites that start out good turn into utter crap. Somewhere along the way, the site owners discover that they can make money from ad revenues using a largely volunteer moderation team and a free-for-all approach to membership. So they might be a great gun forum, then discover they can also talk about knives, then camping, cooking, canning. . . until just about every topic is covered.

As a site gets bigger, there has to be more rules and more moderators to enforce the rules. For moderation to be fair, the rules have to be applied evenly. So hard and fast moderation is applied, and the technology is used to enforce it. For instance, one-liners were not allowed, so people just hit return and type, "Not a one-liner." To get around this, a minimum character amount was applied. Now people just fill it full of nonsense.

The site has become so big that allowing the moderators to simply remove posts that don't contribute to the discussion can't be instituted because too many people would complain that there were no guidelines for what is or what isn't acceptable. While the integrity of the discussions would be preserved, people would be pissed off and leave.

If you haven't figured out where I'm going with this, the answer is that the site is too big. It's a good site, but it doesn't meet every need particularly well, but it does meet a lot of needs adequately.

Like me, you probably find yourself scanning the topics looking for something of interest. I rarely read more than the first page of posts, and lately, I'm disappointed in threads with misleading titles. I contribute infrequently.

The best forums are those which are private, by-invitation-only affairs with minimal moderation. You do not have to worry much about censoring since it isn't open to the general public. People feel freer to discuss topics they would broach in a public forum. The amount of valuable information is about the same, you just have less crap to weed through.