Admins / Mods complicit in ignorance peddling?

Some of you may or may not know me, those who do likely know my stance on a few key issues. Those who don't, I invite you to read my threads. I have been a member for what seems like, quite some time, in reality only about a year and a half.

For the most part, in contrast to the average user of this forum I feel that I am a contributing member of the forum. Just as in society we have sheeple, there are just as many on this forum. That fact is evident when you witness people with thousands of posts, yet they have a very small number of stars, flags, applause. So I feel my work speaks for itself on that front.

Now when I joined the forum, after lurking for quite sometime, I loved the moto "Deny Ignorance". I thought wow, what a great moto, everyone should do their part. That's something I could really get behind! But what became apparent very shortly, was the fact that it was simply a moto, and not something most users actually practiced.

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Now the thing that really made me question things was the pattern I noticed in my latest threads. To illustrate the fact, I am going to highlight some of the past applause I have earned from admins and mods alike.

One.
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six and Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten

The other two seem to have been gobbled up by the magical ATS u2u folder.

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Now the reason why it's important to see those, is because it helps show what hasn't been applauded.

Two popular threads I have written have gone completely unacknowledged by moderators and administrators.

Mainstream Media - How we are all being bent over
Biggest Disinfo Agent ring in the world

Now, especially in the latter thread, which to date has recieved 65 flags and upwards of 60 stars, you would think the entire staff of ats was off work for that week.

So why the discrimination? I think it has everything to do with the following paragraph of the second thread:

The swine flu pandemic was helpful in proving the power of the MSN in another form. It's ability to capture the nation with a perceived threat, and systematically remove rights, cause mass panic, have people again wasting 1000's of hours talking about nothing. And, even on THIS forum, their well oiled propaganda machine worked amazingly well. Even admins were feverishly pushing the swine flu garbage, before realizing the Media had again hoodwinked them.

Note the bolded italics.

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Now back to my original point, when I came to this site I hoped that the moto was to be taken seriously. But what really grinds my gears is not only the incompetence of the average user to uphold that moto, but also the admins and moderators.

I feel not only have they failed to do their duty in helping dispel ignorance from the users, but instead, often end up fueling the ignorance fire. Now if you guys are going to blacklist me, and agree to not support my threads in which I rightfully call you out for your scaremongering or ignornance mongering, thats fine! But can you all as a human being honestly ask yourselves if you truly want to foster a forum of ignorance or enlightenment.

Especially when regarding the Media. How anyone on this forum PERIOD, can fail to understand that the Media is the absolute wild card for the TPTB is beyond me, but it truly stinks of ignorance.

This forum day after day seems to be for purely entertainment value, rather than education. Anyone who has taken time to look at the big picture understands that divide and conquer is the primary tool of the TPTB, and the illusions they create to divide and conquer us are what this forum spends 90% of its time arguing about.

For example:
Elections - The forum was completely revamped with DECISION 08, everyone argued and bickered about obama this, mccain that, yada yada yada. But anyone who has spent anytime knows that the entire election is absolute STAGE SHOW, and has absolutely no relevance to the overall agenda.

Now I don't think any of the admins or moderators are STUPID, FAR FROM IT in fact, but it appears clear that you guys choose to foster irrelevant debate and ignorance, rather then guide people towards dispelling ignorance.

Swine Flu - The most disappointing era of my time on this forum. Period. I stepped back and refused to even feed that fear mongered fire for a couple weeks, instead deciding to focus on the Media and how they were feeding all this garbage down our throats.

Now, while the average user was completely infatuated with swine flu fever, what did our amazing admins and mods do? Oh yah, they completely fanned the flames. Going so far in scaremongering tactics as to add a WHO EPIDEMIC LEVEL 5 banner in bright red, across the top of every forum.

Why were you guys who should be so experienced in these topics so quickly get fooled into running with such a scaremongering topic? Completely one HUNDRED PERCENT fed directly from the MSM, always comes back to them, funny how that works eh?

Now it's ok to make mistakes, but there a comes a point where mistakes must be admitted, understood, and rectified, but thank god this forum is packed with ignorant sheep cause most of them didn't even notice.

But I did, I noticed there was NO formal apology on behalf of this site for their part in the scare mongering. I noticed that no one bothered to say "hey, we made a mistake" and instead of helping the problem, we increased the sense of fear - prematurely, without merit and without proper due course.

Come on people, do we really need a doctorate to understand that when an organization such as the WHO releases a "PANDEMIC ALERT SCALE" just a few years back, and then we just happen to have a unnatural flu spring up. Maybe they are just feeding us the whole load?

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Honestly, if the forum is going to continue like this, I can't see myself being a part of it much longer. And for my haters, I am sure that would be welcomed news. For others, I hope you realize that I am not just an idiot who spouts random junk and flip flops on the issues.

Please people, can we ACTUALLY head towards denying ignorance, rather than breeding it? Please?

I understand what you are saying... but until no more reports of deaths from swine flu are coming in.. its still a dangerous time at the moment.

Japan is seeing a rise in confirmed cases as well.

I would rather see information on the event, than not hear anything at all.

Hey now, wait a minute here.

I believe your post is mostly without basis, because you are trying to use the elusive measure of applause to justify your rant. Not good.

If I was to go by that, Jesus. As an example, the only applause I ever received from The Vagabond, one of ATS's most esteemed members and moderator- was over a single, one liner post. But you know what? That is his right and his choice, as it is for every mod and admin. I have never received one from SO in nearly 5 years of being here. SO what?

I think you seriously need to rethink your approach here, and the basis by which you seek to make your claim. I may have my own troubles with the staff occasionally, but I would never accuse them of peddling ignorance.

I would think its hard to see clearly from way up on the pedestal you have placed yourself on. Thank you for highlighting all of your applause's though, I don't think I could have seen your position on the swine flu topic without them.

One thing you need to understand is this site is also a business and the way it makes money is by driving traffic. Swine flu was made a relevant topic by the MSM and by members of this board. The admins of the site helped foster discussion on that topic with the creation of the board. The admins didn't say the discussion had to go one way or another, the site is not meant to tell you what things are right and wrong. How can you deny ignorance if you are ignorant to what needs denying?

I feel your argument that something is in the MSM so it must not be a relevant topic an odd one. Sure there is things that are not reported but its also important to discuss the topics the MSM reports and talk about what facts they are missing.

I hope you are correct about the swine flu just being over hyped and not a real threat just as the MSM tells all of us currently ( does that make you a sheeple for agreeing with them?). Hopefully it just dies off and does not come back again although I'm sure to the people who have lost love ones, this will be an important topic to them.

There are alot of people who post on this site. Forgive the mods if they don't applaude you for each post/rant you feel is necessary to unleash onto us.

If you can't accept the fact that the mods aren't going to give you recognition for each and everything you write. Then as my first wife said to me...

Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
Hey now, wait a minute here.

I believe your post is mostly without basis, because you are trying to use the elusive measure of applause to justify your rant. Not good.

If I was to go by that, Jesus. As an example, the only applause I ever received from The Vagabond, one of ATS's most esteemed members and moderator- was over a single, one liner post. But you know what? That is his right and his choice, as it is for every mod and admin. I have never received one from SO in nearly 5 years of being here. SO what?

I think you seriously need to rethink your approach here, and the basis by which you seek to make your claim. I may have my own troubles with the staff occasionally, but I would never accuse them of peddling ignorance.

Correction, you focused on that point.

The reason I post them was so that you could actually look at them and realize that the time and effort that went into each and every one of those pales in comparison to the effort that went into the Media threads, that was the only reason for even bringing them up.

The point of the entire post was the moto "deny ignorance" and how forum users including mods and admins don't practice what they preach. That's whats frustrating.

It seems that not even in Rats can you find people that are willing to comprehend an entire post rather than picking a part sections that are easy to attack.

In reply to TwiTcHomatic:
See, you're a victim of the scaremongering pure and simple.

I don't know where you live, but I can practically guarantee that the closest metropolis to you has had more people die from car accidents, in a week than the entire death toll of swine flu.

Now, I could go into 100 other things that are expontentially more likely to kill you than swine flu, yet we don't want to bother discussing any of those? Now why is that?

Because of scaremongering that went into Swine flu. Come on, it doesn't even have a fraction of the death toll that the seasonal flu has, how can people on this forum still fear such a benign threat? Give me a break.

Though it is only PERSONAL SPECULATION, I feel that the media has backed off the swine flu becuase they know it will lead to admitting it is man made and was "accidently released", just as the anthrax case went. You guys do remember the big anthrax scare right? Then we found out it originated from the military.. OOOPS


Edit: and im glad not one of the replies thus far has focused on anything other than the applause point. Please re-read the post, I was simply showing you what had been applauded in the past (mostly small things) and contrasting it to what hadn't. Like I said further into the post, I don't care if I ever get applauded again that's totally a nonissue. What IS an issue to me anyways, is the failure to acknowledge the Mainsteam Media as the driving force which keeps every conspiracy a conspiracy, they also destroy every movement and ridicule its members, and they constantly bombard us with absolute garbage that has no relevancy what so ever.

Journalism is dead. And if I am the only one who understands that and grasps the implications of that fact, then there's no debating it we are all flippin HOOPED.


[edit on 18-5-2009 by king9072]

reply to post by king9072


King I really enjoy your threads and your posts, however regardless of how much effort and time was put into your those, that does not mean you deserve more recognition than anybody else on the site.

Mods and Staff have their own beliefs and their own views on every subject, they applaud based on posts that are adherent to their way of thinking and that they contributed an essential piece of informatino to the topic at hand.

Even though your thread may have collected 65 flags, it may not be the type of conversation the mods and staff want to participate in. It's not their job to give out applause for posts, it's their job to moderate and make sure that people are following the rules.

The applause is simply something to help members distinguish between the best of the best, and is not to be given out all whillly nilly. I can definetly understand where your coming from, you might think you are not being rewarded enough for your efforts, but that's up the the general membershiop to give you stars and flags.

Applause and recognition from the staff and mods is simply a plus.

~Keeper

Additionally, I understand business. And I also understand that THIS is a business. I was director of privately owned, succesful franchise for several years. I only left the job becuase of how utterly unfulfilling it was.

Now the difference here is that, I was selling a food product, this site is selling "denying ignorance". Thus I feel if that's the point they are going to stand on, then they should have the bullocks to STAND ON IT.

I personally believe, regardless of traffic generation, the mods and admins should have been the ones reigning in the scare tactics of the MSM that was being pushed on us from every angle. And what did this forum, along with the rest of the world do? We looked for our sheep dog, to guide us into our pen.

That's PATHETIC. And it's NOT right. That's my point here, and I apologize if you can't see past my points to help illustrate that fact.

This forum should be doing something to actually create change that we ALL want, we know that our elected officials are NOT going to do it.

WE KNOW our media outlets ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT, it falls on us. And of all the other mindless drone sites on the internet that are packed with morons debating american idol, or gossip girl, this forum is dealing with very serious issues that ultimately effect each and every one of us.

Who cares about a business if the society that utilized it has crumbled? Honestly?

Does this site want to down in history like Alex Jones? A fear mongering haven, Bill Cooper was right to call out alex jones as a scaremonger, for those who haven't seen his 6 part broadcast he did about Alex Jones after Y2K WATCH IT! He shows how Alex jones was simply fear mongering for an audience and that's IT. Why would this site want to follow that path? Rather than be the site that actually could make a difference, because it has alot of highly intelligent members who can make a difference. Only if they aren't wasting their time squabbling over nonissues.

reply to post by king9072


Nah man- It's not just picking apart your easy section. And believe me, many times I've just wanted to leave here for good because it seems the more work I've put into a post, the less response I get- but interestingly, more often than not, the time-consuming threads I have started will sometimes get an applause and not a single response from the crowd. Many times they get neither. It's all a hit and miss game man. No one, I repeat no one knows what is likely to satisfy until you throw it at the wall and see what sticks- just like playing darts in a sense.

And yes I understood your whole thread. The swine flu attracted a lot of attention for some reason, and I for one applaud the new forum, which was needed so that those of us (like you) who saw this from the beginning as useless drivel didn't have to put up with the recent posts list spammed with all those threads. I see you failed to mention that little correction on the admins part. If they were going to peddle ignorance they would have left them all there despite the complaints.

So please don't try to belittle the people who have access to RATS just because they saw through your little scheme here...

If he was really tired of the way ATS is ran then he would just leave.

He wouldn't talk about it.

No he won't leave, he will do what some do and gripe about the way it is ran and tell everyone how things should be done.

Eventually his soap box will weaken and he will fall down to the level eveyone else here is at.

The level of the simple poster.

reply to post by king9072


If the mods were censoring all the mis-information that was being posted, instead of the community at large dissecting and destroying it, it would defeat the purpose of this place, and you wold be complaining about censorship vs lack of it.

~Keeper

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
reply to post by king9072

 

Nah man- It's not just picking apart your easy section. And believe me, many times I've just wanted to leave here for good because it seems the more work I've put into a post, the less response I get- but interestingly, more often than not, the time-consuming threads I have started will sometimes get an applause and not a single response from the crowd. Many times they get neither. It's all a hit and miss game man. No one, I repeat no one knows what is likely to satisfy until you throw it at the wall and see what sticks- just like playing darts in a sense.

And yes I understood your whole thread. The swine flu attracted a lot of attention for some reason, and I for one applaud the new forum, which was needed so that those of us (like you) who saw this from the beginning as useless drivel didn't have to put up with the recent posts list spammed with all those threads. I see you failed to mention that little correction on the admins part. If they were going to peddle ignorance they would have left them all there despite the complaints.

So please don't try to belittle the people who have access to RATS just because they saw through your little scheme here...

Little scheme? And we had a WHO PANDEMIC LEVEL 5 banner across all forums for several weeks. So I am not sure exactly what you meant there.

Can we seriously just ignore the applause point, im about to just delete that from my OP cause everyone wants to focus on that here, yet in this thread it comprises maybe 5% of the total amount of stuff I have written in this thread over my last few posts. It was only a side note, cause I was under the impression I was being singled out by admins. Notice how I start with a different point, then I mention applause, then I said "Now back to my original point" and I expand another 200% on the post? Then I go on to write two more full page posts further discussing my original intention and point to this thread?

I never once attempted to belittle anyone, those who are blissfully plowing forward in ignorance are on their own. And those who aren't know who they are, and shouldn't be offended by any part of my post.

I have never been a part of a community which included so many highly intelligent people, and I don't consider myself among the pinnacle of intelligence on this forum, there are definitely members here that have multiple degrees in a variety of subjects I know nill about. But I wouldn't comment on something that I was oblivious about, I leave it to people who know exactly what they are talking about.

But if you took my thread as an attempt to belittle, perhaps you've found yourself in a field, likely surrounded by sheep. The sheep dogs know who they are, and they aren't offended.

Originally posted by jd140
If he was really tired of the way ATS is ran then he would just leave.

He wouldn't talk about it.

No he won't leave, he will do what some do and gripe about the way it is ran and tell everyone how things should be done.

Eventually his soap box will weaken and he will fall down to the level eveyone else here is at.

The level of the simple poster.

Yah everyone like me with a point to make should leave the forum, so people like you can clog it with senseless, irrelevant posts. Good job.

Originally posted by king9072
It seems that not even in Rats can you find people that are willing to comprehend an entire post rather than picking a part sections that are easy to attack.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican

Originally posted by king9072
It seems that not even in Rats can you find people that are willing to comprehend an entire post rather than picking a part sections that are easy to attack.

Right, and you didn't attack the 5% of the content I wrote, which was only stated to help illustrate a point? K just making sure we're both experiencing the same reality.

These type issues and concerns are more readily addressed when aired in the proper venue.


The ATS Issues Thread


Please add further questions and concerns to the ongoing discussion.


Thank you.



-thread closed-

Just had to add something to this...

Now, especially in the latter thread, which to date has recieved 65 flags and upwards of 60 stars, you would think the entire staff of ats was off work for that week.

So why the discrimination? I think it has everything to do with the following paragraph of the second thread:

I'm going to give away a big secret here, but the mods and admins are not omniscient... I know, I know..settle down...really...

Does every thread that deserves an applause get it? No. Of course not. We're volunteers my friend. We have lives outside of the site. We can't go through every single one and applaud all of the great insights our members have...just isn't feasible.

As for the Swine Flu, feel free to search any of my postings on it. I've said it was blown out of proportion since day 1. It's a frickin' flu.

My best advice, if you see a thread not getting recognition when you think it should...send a U2U to a Mod (one who's on a lot more than me) and ask them what they think. Chances are, if they are impressed, they'll acknowledge it.