We, ATS Members, Must Focus On Politics

I am one of those who steer away from political threads any more... Which is a sad thing to me because I do enjoy politics , but I cannot stand seeing all fighting and bitching that has replaced intelligent debate and civility.

I once heard a saying... " The one thing needed for evil to prevail, is for good men to sit by and do nothing"

Well, it is time for the membership of ATS to stand up and do something about it and I pledge to do what you have asked of me and I hope others will do the same.

I'm relatively new here and have only posted on a few threads. I'm new to this "world" as it applies to the definition of ATS. I am not an extremely political individual, and I'd assume my views to be shared by at least some here. I agree wholeheartedly that we need to be more "up" on the politics of our countries and the world as a whole. Hence the reason I read many threads and post to few. The amount of information is quite exhausting, in my opinion. It seems as if some members here are almost "super-human" to be able to "keep up" with so many issues etc..

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I have sen thread after thread, some of which i have not posted in where ad hominem attacks are going on. Insults are passed, disguised between the actual points someone is making and despite being reported they have not been dealt with. This seems especially clear on controversial topics.

Either start applying it properly, whenever an ad hom comes about or don't bother.

Im not sure if debating health care reform, or if Obama's birth certificate is the real deal or not, is going to help bring us (or those of us that wish to know) closer to finding the truth behind the cover-ups of UFO's and there technology. That kind of politics does nothing for me because after all the chest pounding and name calling subsides, I've come to see that nobody has left the starting blocks yet. (Just my opinion)

I understand not all of us share the same intrest's, but when all the topics on the board home page are all politicaly related. I can only imagine what the recent posts page will bring.(Me logging out)
For those that are not American's, how intresting is a thread that people tell you to but out because you don't live here? Thats rude for one, and everyone is allowed to have an opinion. Political forums bring out the worst in people.

I know there are lots of members on ATS who enjoy the political madness and that's all good but I think it's a little to overbearing lately for me.

Im not lashing out at anyone, it's just my opinion so please take no offense.

You know what? This call to arms is a complete joke. And I don't know why the other members can't see it for what it is. SkepticOverlord, I don't think you're doing this for the members. I don't believe anything you've said in the last thread, or this thread, is for the betterment of your fellow man. I think what you've done, is went over my proposed thread with a fine tooth comb, pillaged it for the ideas and concepts conveyed and used some sort of weird verbal alchemy to change it to fit your purpose. What is your purpose. Here let me show everyone:

You will be noticed...

With four-million visits a month and eight-million posts, the ATS platform is a powerful one. Your efforts may not make a difference nationally and/or internationally, but you will be noticed.

No Bill, YOU will be noticed. You'll be the one giving interviews. You'll be the next Alex Jones. You'll be the one benefiting financially when the hits see an increase and you charge the advertisers more bucks for the websites real estate. Basically, you want the members to do some type of "movement", openly admit that the efforts will not pay off, and tell members they'll be noticed. Noticed? Noticed? What is being noticed going to bring the average member? Nothing. However, it will bring you something. Can you say CHING CHING? You want members to do the footwork, and at the end of the day, they don't even get 15 seconds of fame, but you'll be laughing all the way to the bank!

Shame the devil. I'm calling this for what it is.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Not only will involving yourself in political discussions help ATS members deny ignorance...studying Law will equip them with a power they may not have known they had.

Corpus Juris Secundum

[edit on 3/1/2010 by dalan.]

There are two reasons why I must NOT focus on political rehtoric:

A: Taken directly out of my sig, "Political arguments are belief based and advocates don't respond well to rebuttal. This fundamentalism relies heavily on the avoidance, or dismissal, of information."

....and once you begin questioning someone's beliefs, he/she instictively becomes defensive and no longer discusses objectively. That's something I want no part of. I don't mind sharing what I believe and I don't mind listening to what others believe, but I'm not going to argue about who's belief is right.

Would I engage in an objective discussion of facts in which preconceptions are not held over one's head? Yes; however, debating a person with intention to exhort is pointless. I won't have it.

B: Krishnamurti puts it into perspective quite nicely:

Politics is the reconciliation of effects; and as most of us are concerned with effects, the external has assumed dominant significance. By manipulating effects we hope to bring about order and peace; but, unfortunately, it is not as simple as all that. Life is a total process, the inner as well as the outer; the outer definitely affects the inner, but the inner invariably overcomes the outer. What you are, you bring about outwardly. The outer and the inner cannot be separated and kept in watertight compartments, for they are constantly interacting upon each other; but the inner craving, the hidden pursuits and motives, are always more powerful.

There is hope only in the integration of the several processes of which we are made up. This integration does not come into being through any ideology, or through following any particular authority, religious or political; it comes into being only through extensive and deep awareness.
www.rumormillnews.com...

Politics is an outward, external debate. Those external things can be temporarily fixed but will eventually crumble if our inner-selves are the same. Focusing on ourselves will yield much more pleasurable external results.

Philosophy and psychology? I'll participate in these discussions as they are open forums of mental and self-awareness; discussions of the inner self and not outward belief systems. These fields demand objective discussion, otherwise they would fail. And the opposite is true for politics; political discussions demand subjectivity, otherwise they fail.

-Dev

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

At another members suggestion not to long ago I performed a Google Search on ProtoplasmicTraveler and was amazed to find my posts on ATS quote and cited to me and ATS on nearly one hundred websites around the world.

I just tried doing that...5810 hits...most of them are nothing but ats webpages...some of them things that have nothing to do with me.

How did u narrow down your search to find websites that quoted you? i guess it's easier with the unique name you have.

Just curious...sorry for being offtopic?

[edit on 1-3-2010 by David9176]

I just typed in ProtoplasmicTraveler just like it appears, David though is something that would be a key word in oh about a billion websites I imagine.

Might want to try the advance search were you specify results with only David9176 and to exclude all others.

By the way you might not want to in fact be quoted as the leading source on the Internet for Barack Obama is a CIA Agent like I am but hey...controversial stances are bound to get you noticed!



[edit on 1/3/10 by ProtoplasmicTraveler]

All I can do is wish you good luck on this endeavor.

A video that goes well with this....

www.youtube.com...

the best part is the speech at 750ish

May fate be kind to your efforts, and my goodwill to you all.

reply to post by EMPIRE


Do you own a website with so many hits? I'm guessing on and therefore you have no clue what the costs of such a site are. If you don't like it here then leave, some of us want to improve the site.

I have no issue with ATS trying to crank out a little more money for themselves because this website is a full time project. Anyone who has ever run web servers knows that (yeah i've run them and set them up so i know). I am sure ATS now makes a good deal of money and i can't blame the owners for trying to increase revenue. Let's be fair, they do try and put more into the website to make it better and it is a good place for discussion.

My only issues with this website are:-

1. The fact that a post by SO recently talked about stopping trolls and the personal insults flying around. This is great but i have seen so many personal attacks that have not been addressed, even after being reported!

2. The continuing refusal to discuss drug issues. As soon as someone mentions personal use they are shut down. Now ATS is a private club and can do whatever it likes, but you would think free speech would extend to drugs. At least when someone mentions personal experience they should delete that post and not just shut a thread.

3. The mods seem biased, when discussing some very sensitive topics only one or two mods acn keep their heads and keep the topic on course. Otherwise it gets ignored and screw the OP.

Those are my issues, i'm sure others can find more.

" Deny ignorance is what we do. "

From a variety of Postings I have read on this Site in Political Threads , I would have to respectfully disagee with you here . Ignorance abounds on this Site , and it is easy to see who those Ignorant Posters are by the content of their Postings . They offer nothing to the Topic at hand other than Disinformation , Name Calling , Character AssaSSination , and possible Thread Deletion due to their taboo comments . I am all for a Fair and Honest Debate on any Topic here , but for some reason a Sense of Decorum is lost on Some of the Posters here when it comes to discussing Political Topics . What would you as a Site Moderator do to Correct these Obvious Problems Sir ?

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

By the way you might not want to in fact be quoted as the leading source on the Internet for Barack Obama is a CIA Agent like I am but hey...controversial stances are bound to get you noticed!

LOL...yeah...that might get you a few hits!!!

It would still be nice to see how many people are actually reading our words or if anything we state opens up a mind..changes ones thinking...or just makes them angry!

I did narrow the search down. 1000's of pages...probably one for each thread I've made (I've made MANY). No quoted pages from third party website except for one that was in what looked to be Chinese.

I miss the page views...too bad we can't have them back.

reply to post by David9176


Wow that's strange none of my ATS posts on ATS showed up on Google, are you using the Google search in ATS or the Google Search in your browser?

My favorite was Boaters Weekly quoting me on how to navigate tricky Persian Gulf Currents so you don't get captured as Spies during a Yacht Race.

That one really tickled me!

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984

Do you own a website with so many hits? I'm guessing on and therefore you have no clue what the costs of such a site are. If you don't like it here then leave, some of us want to improve the site.

Here is the twisted logic that people of your ilk relish. People like you believe that if someone speaks out, that he or she has no knowledge or that they don’t want to be here. I do have a clue about how much it costs to run a website of this magnitude. I understand money was spent not just on software, code heads, promotions and advertisements but also on legal fees to set the company up and to write the T&C and other legal jargon. So you’ve failed and I’ll show you again how you’ll continue to fail

You telll me if I don’t like it to leave? Well if you or SO don’t like AMERICA why don’t YOU leave?

I have no issue with ATS trying to crank out a little more money for themselves because this website is a full time project. Anyone who has ever run web servers knows that (yeah i've run them and set them up so i know). I am sure ATS now makes a good deal of money and i can't blame the owners for trying to increase revenue. Let's be fair, they do try and put more into the website to make it better and it is a good place for discussion.

Well say it. Why try to PIMP the users by giving them a false sense of security or value? What SO is doing is no different from what TPTB do when it comes to voting, which is, give the masses and idea, or something to strive for, allow them to think they have power, direct them towards the agenda and sit back as the dough piles up. Friend, this is Hegelian Dialectic. I'd prefer if he came out and stated his intentions not conceal it under some do-gooder speech.

My only issues with this website are:-

1. The fact that a post by SO recently talked about stopping trolls and the personal insults flying around. This is great but i have seen so many personal attacks that have not been addressed, even after being reported!

I agree. I’ve been attacked, in the other thread SO made even, and I also directed mods to a very disrespectful remark from another member directed to people of African/African American backgrounds. They did absolutely nothing even though a mod posted two minutes after the remark was made, and after another mod said they saw it. So from here on out, I’m not even worried about the mods. They are simply avatars, names and icons I can’t ignore because the function to ignore them was not coded into the site.

2. The continuing refusal to discuss drug issues. As soon as someone mentions personal use they are shut down. Now ATS is a private club and can do whatever it likes, but you would think free speech would extend to drugs. At least when someone mentions personal experience they should delete that post and not just shut a thread.

We had a drug forum what happened? Many threads there pertained to the governments involvement with drug distribution. However, if you want threads about smoking the best this, or injecting the best that, no way.

3. The mods seem biased, when discussing some very sensitive topics only one or two mods acn keep their heads and keep the topic on course. Otherwise it gets ignored and screw the OP.

Seem bias? Seem? LOL! Listen, go back and read SO’s other thread, the one about trolls and political hacks, and make sure you read my responses, as I give clear examples of mod bias and the reason why ATS is going down the toilet. However, guess what I was told? “If you don’t like it leave.” Sound familiar, buddy?

[edit on 1-3-2010 by EMPIRE]

reply to post by EMPIRE


You're over thinking it.

reply to post by haterproof


No, I'm calling it for what it is. SO wants this site to be the new battle ground, or the new frontier that will bring life, liberty and hapiness to the American (and possibly world) population. The problem is, the workers will do all the work while those at the top will benefit.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


using google search in my browser. Hey, maybe I really am as full of s*** as others state I am!

That's neat that you're getting quoted like that though. It's just something that I didn't realize may happen.

Someone out there thinks you have an interesting opinion!

Originally posted by zazzafrazz
Being political is being part of a belief system.

maybe im dense but i dont follow this, im not sure how you can go about your daily life with out some political motivation, yes its a beleife system but in the same right your beleife maybe in no system at all Anarchism, Nihlism.. just to give a couple examples of beleif systems where the political beleife is actualy nothing per say anyways.

I personaly beleive that an Anarchistic system of true government by the populace could creat a utopian-ish society but is not attainable in my opinion so i find myself leaning to a libertarian status

but enough of my ramblings what im getting at is this even if your belief system is a belief in nothing you can still have a stance on politics


i hope that my ramblings make sense to some one else other than myself.


thank you and good day/night depending on your location in this universe

[edit on 1-3-2010 by crimsongod21]

Originally posted by EMPIRE

The problem is, the workers will do all the work while those at the top will benefit.

So your issue is with capitalism and SO just a convenient vehicle for thou bully pulpit.

Thanks for clarifying the source of your vitriol.

-haterproof-

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


You have a no win situation before you Op.
Like all others you want something but offer no solutions.
Post your solution to the political dilemma and it is a win situation.
Show where denying ignorance has solved political problems.
Then ask the membership to join you.
lead by example.