Time to break the shells?

Hello everyone. I just had a sudden idea or realization which involves the ATS community. Remember, its just an idea that came from an impression. If my impression is not accurate I'd be glad to know so. No need to be unnecessarily aggressive. I ask instead for constructive feedback.

Getting to the point, what I see here in ATS is a reasonable amount of very knowledgeable people - as expected. But I would think that such a special and intellectually independent group would soon become activists. And when I mean activists, I really mean it. Activism is genuine devotion to a cause.

It doesn't seem to me like that is what happens here though. These knowledgeable people seem mostly to use the community as a shelter, as a place to hide instead of a place to plan creation. Many of these knowledgeable people seem like they are seeking for acceptance and certainty of their own beliefs without even realizing how knowledgeable they already are. (I am included)

I agree that its very entertaining for the mind the exchange of information and perspectives. But aren't we here because we value something beyond entertainment? Aren't we here for truth and change?

The feeling I get is that we use the mantra of activism for truth when we are really just indulging in being knowledgeable. We continuously lie to ourselves. We keep telling ourselves that we are doing the best we can do, but that couldn't be furthest from the truth.

Isn't it time for us to stop fearing the encounter with the real deal? With the real "search for truth"? In my perspective Truth is not something you find. Truth is something you apply. Everyone already has their own truth. And in ATS we are all aware of that even though some may call their truth something else. It doesn't matter that we each have our own truth. That won't segregate us because our intention should not be to confirm, to have our truth accepted or to have our truth followed. Our intention should be to make everyone acknowledge that we all have Truth (which is applicable), even though it may seem otherwise.

I have been now a constant member of ATS for maybe 2 months and I've seen many of the same issues being talked about over and over. These threads usually finish the way they started. Some may learn one thing or other, but it really doesn't change anything. I understand that the intention of the people that create these threads is to make other members aware of the issue. But aren't we all already aware of all of these issues, even though we have our own perspective about it? We don't need anymore awareness, we need to spread this awareness to non-members, which have had no contact with such issues.

Haven't you had enough of this shared shell which produces a false sense of security? I believe we should all start breaking this shell of which we all share here in ATS in order to start breaking the shared shells that lie beyond the internet.

I propose to the community that we start a new "area", or new sub-forum if you may. One in which we will plan together and share our personal steps of our procedure towards the final creation. Real activism.

I don't know if I made myself clear. I had to rewrite the thread because I lost it when I sent the first one, so my cohesion may have been affected. (I got pretty stressed when I lost everything I wrote first, it was really much more dramatic and poetic )

So what do you guys think?

[edit on 19-8-2009 by Geladinhu]

Originally posted by Geladinhu

Getting to the point, what I see here in ATS is a reasonable amount of very knowledgeable people - as expected. But I would think that such a special and intellectually independent group would soon become activists. And when I mean activists, I really mean it. Activism is genuine devotion to a cause.

Hi G, I know what you're saying and I sense your frustration.

My thoughts on your virtuous intent ...

1. It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that a great deal of ATS members are active for worthy causes in their private lives. Whether it is environmental, political, philanthropic, scientific, or spiritual in nature, you name it, chances are an ATS member is more often than not a part of it. I have even found that some of our more, let's say spirited members , are often the most giving of their time and energy in "real life." So many folk embrace the principle you describe but do not outwardly share this experience with the rest of the membership.

Why?

2. Because it is simply against the T&C to pro-actively solicit such activism on the board. And for a valid reasons ... One man's worthy cause is often another's fight. If ATS allowed some causes to be promoted as opposed to others, no matter how worthy they may be, they will surely and somewhat accurately be accused of bias. They, as a neutral forum simply cannot do it without loosing their neutrality, which as you know, is along with other principles like decorum, at the heart of the ATS identity if not its raison d'etre.

But despair not, much of what we discuss ends up in many cases unknowingly triggering a movement within some of us to take action in our own lives. I for one am comfortable in the knowledge that that is indeed so and trust it enough that there's no need to see it posted to validate it. A lot of caring people hang around here and they are indeed activists in every way they can.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


You are right. I knew you would say what I needed to hear.

Thanks for making me realize once again that I should stop paying attention to what other people do and focus more on my own behavior and attitude. It's very tough to take all the responsibility for the world (which is no more than our perspective) but it must be done.

This thread ended as a self-analysis. (we should have an emoticon for embarrassment)

At least I broke the pattern of having every thread ending as it started.

reply to post by Geladinhu

I don't know if I made myself clear. I had to rewrite the thread because I lost it when I sent the first one, so my cohesion may have been affected. (I got pretty stressed when I lost everything I wrote first, it was really much more dramatic and poetic )

Yep, made yourself clear. I hate when I loose something when trying to post. It's happened a lot...GGGRRRrrrrr.

Thanks for making me realize once again that I should stop paying attention to what other people do and focus more on my own behavior and attitude.

I absolutely believe in activism. I don't necessarily promote organized directional activism; because I think the original message gets hyjacked, and changed to fit a newer agenda. For myself I like encouraging individual critical thinking skills, learning Yourself, learning to set personal boundaries, and I guess the list goes on from there.

You mention "focusing" on Your own behavior, and attitude. I have always strongly advocated "live, and let live", but there's a problem with that.

Every time we communicate with others there is either direct manipulation, or indirect manipulation. No matter what there is a degree of mind manipulation; this obviously occurs more often on subjects You, or anyone is not familiar with, but depending on the topic, and the Person speaking on a topic with extreme mastership of a topic, can alter even the most learned individuals perception.

In other words sometimes People are subjugated to natural manipulators who don't need to consciously attack/influence someone; this is because they literally have a manipulative nature about themselves. Also, there are literal master manipulators who have vectored ranges of objectives, and alter their communications to fit what is needed for the intentionally planned outcome.

I mention all this because ATS is full of People pushing their beliefs. Some without realizing what they are doing, and then others who have exact game plan strategies; all geared towards an outcome.

It's very important for all to be aware of manipulation through communications. I've read people who say words, grammer, or symantics used have no emotions, or extra sensory meanings, and simply that's wrong.

Words carry the keys to open the locks on DNA; which in turn open Your heart.

SOOOoooo, activism??? Excellent. I really cannot say for sure how I feel one way, or another about directed activism through ATS. Sure, against T&C's, but like I tried to point out above, there are plenty of People actively trying to 'lead', or sway others into lines of rigid thought; which usually turn toward an organization. In other words I think many here are manipulative, and pushing others towards rigid organizations of controlled activism.

Glenn Beck is an example of that here. I couldn't put my finger on it at first, but have You noticed the amount of 'Beckonites' here on ATS? I'll tell ya' there are a bunch. It took me a while to figure it out, and now that I have, I am constantly wondering how many People are 'snow balled' by these People who have a set agenda?

So, I guess I'm indifferent to it here on ATS as I feel it already exists. Privately??? I think activism is LIFE. This is one 'dinked' World, and it's not going to get better unless each one of us go forth, on an individual level to help.

just my two pesos

Sancho