Lurkers: Are You Afraid to Sign Up To ATS? Don't Be.

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Here you go Leo!

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Simply Awesome Thread/Post TrueAmerican.

I did the same thing you did. I kinda lurked for awhile. I was just screwing around one day...surfing the net looking at UFO stuff because it always interested me and i stumbled across this site....and boom. The bank bailouts happened along with the crazy presidency...the bad economy...the wars...all of it. Now I am a daily visitor to ATS. This is where the real news is at. Yes, some of it is glorified to make it look overly scarey...but there is so much good material here it's unreal. It's a treasure trove for the mind.

I have read more information in the last year than I have my entire life x10. It took me a few months or so to get the courage. to start posting here. Posting messages on websites was something I simply did not do. ATS has changed me greatly in that.

IF you aren't posting and you are thinking about it...DO IT. The information is great...but it's even greater when you have access to the mind that put up that thread/post/opinion.

Pick those brains and challenge your thinking. It's a great ride....although sometimes stressing!!! LOL

I'm mostly a lurker even though I do have an account. Actually this is my third or fourth account since 2004 when I first discovered ATS; I lost internet access and forgot my passwords when I got it back. I used to post a bit more often back then but now I just basically star and flag and that's it.

Only reason I have not contributed here as much as I do on other forums is because the absurd amount of rules here. Even though they are designed to be fair and keep things on topic they are almost worse than GLP and the midget dictator over there.

I am hesitant about saying anything because this place is so heavily moderated and censored, I know damn well I'm going to trigger warnings on almost all of my posts even though I have very good knowledge and expertise in the fields of occult, ufo's paranormal and many other subjects I have studied (and experienced) all my life.

This place is purely just not too forgiving and I feel as if everything you say and do will be scrutinized by some wikipedia editor nerd.

So I can guarantee you there are many many others who feel the same way.

reply to post by The_Doctor_1111


I don't think it's that heavily moderated. For the most part, as long as you don't personally insult someone, use profanity, or make a completely offtopic post...you are left alone. I think the mods are good here.

After all, if ATS looked like youtube message boards...I wouldn't post at all...in fact I would probably never visit ATS either. I like that there is a sense of "civility" here that doesn't exist in other places. It makes the community better as a whole imo.

If you go through life trying to avoid what others say and do, what does that tell us about you? I'm more of a chaotic neutral type of person. I don't like rules and regulations and anyone telling me how I should act or what I should say. I don't mind the youtube posts in fact I find them quite entertaining as well as other forums with relaxed rules. I don't take forums so seriously that anything anyone else says would hurt me or affect my daily life. I see some people so wound up tight about what he said and she said. So to prevent that they make rules and regulations to hide behind.

It is as simple as that.

If I don't like what I'm reading I stop reading it. I mean how many seconds does it take to move your eyes further down a page or scroll down? Or left click.


People who are like you (nothing personal of course) are people who accept being shafted up the butt by government and do as you are told.

I'm against that whole notion that people should in any way restrict any other person from doing what they want. I guess it is close to objectivism.

But you are free to your opinion. Problem is 99% of the people here agree with you, which is why I will not continue to participate here.

If i have to read half a page of rules before I post.. this is not the place for me.

Never for the life of me understood how anyone lurked for a long period of time.
I too dove right in....Haven't really logged out in 3 years...
C'mon people..JOIN!

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2f68dd756554.jpg[/atsimg]

Originally posted by The_Doctor_1111
If i have to read half a page of rules before I post.. this is not the place for me.

Then why be part of society at all? Got enough money to buy your own island? Then maybe you will be able to attract all the people who can't live with rules! And your island will be ruleless. Murder, rape, destruction, thievery, every man to himself! No laws, no police. What a wonderland! Stone Age wonderland.

Sounds like hell to me.

But let me put it another way. You don't need an island. Simply make your own forum. And when your membership starts complaining enough about being attacked, derided, abused, belittled, and made to feel worthless, you might just find yourself having no other alternative but to make a Terms and Conditions page yourself. Even if it is only- half a page.

[edit on Mon Mar 15th 2010 by TrueAmerican]

Case and point again. If you are capable of getting upset at what people think or say to you on a forum to the point you make your own laws and rules to protect yourself, that is YOUR problem.

If people can't govern themselves that is a reflection on THEM. That is their problem. If someone behaves in such a way that makes things unreadable like spamming over and over again that is pure destruction and without a doubt you'd have to stop them. But as long as the person is not physically preventing you from reading and contributing, anyone should be able to say what they want.

I see stuff I disagree with on a daily basis and it is my right to disagree or to just scroll past it and ignore it. I don't cry to the moderator or try to set up new laws to prevent that person from speaking their minds.

That is the point. It is all about CONTROL and this place makes me sick at all the laws. Isn't this about freedom of information? If it is, you'd have to seriously take a good look in the mirror.

reply to post by randyvs


Thanks randyvs, appreciate the applause.

I thought I would show a serious welcome for any lurkers.

And use the fine print as a means for levity.

ATS is an awesome place and I want everyone to be able to enjoy it.

[edit on 15-3-2010 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Nothing better at any price!
No designated driver needed!
You can do it in your underwear!

[edit on 3/16/2010 by Blaine91555]

[edit on 3/16/2010 by Blaine91555]

Me myself was a lurker for some time. I thought at first "OMG, these guys will destroy me if I will dare to write something". I mean we have a bunch of very intelligent persons here.
But I am here alive. Yet

Originally posted by The_Doctor_1111

If i have to read half a page of rules before I post.. this is not the place for me.

Ive actually never read the T&C's, its common sense and good manners thats seen me through over a year on the boards and many years of lurking before that.

Respect others privacy (U2U's)
Warn others about any linked video content that might not be suitable for all ie profanity in videos, theres all ages on the boards.
Post on topic or dont post at all.
No political recruiting etc.

Common sense. Normally if your worried about what your about to post, its a good sign that it might not be worth posting.

If im in doubt I usually U2U a mod, they are there to help as well as moderate and have found them to do just that on the few occasions I have done this.



[edit on 16-3-2010 by XXXN3O]

Originally posted by Springer
reply to post by TrueAmerican

 

We've had several people who couldn't abide our TAC and got banned harass us

but, never anyone that matters or has any "official" power what so ever.

I suspect more than several Springer. Though I must admit your TAC reads more like a mortgage sign up document... i.e. not very user friendly...

I suspect that the lurkers are in large previous members that have been banned, or have joined previously but got peeved due to posts whereby their views or ideas were trashed.

I was banned once, I'm not afraid to admit it, I was banned for a simple mistake (didn't add citation correctly). I'm an intelligent respectfull individual, I didn't get a warn just got banned... Seems a little harsh but hey...

I lurked then a while before signing up again.

I am now no where near as active on ATS as I was, and I hardly ever write threads just add to existing ones.

So I say embrace your lurkers, they may not contribute to the community directly but hey unless you want to start to charge for subscription, there isnt really much you can do about that... unless you want to offer incentives??

Anyone for free trip to area 51??

Peace out,

Korg.

reply to post by AccessDenied


I was the same way. The minute I found ATS, I joined.

I've had some of the most enlightening and thought-provoking discussions here (and with my husband, off line, about the subjects here) that I've had in my entire life, which has been pretty long.

I have encouraged other people to have a look and some have joined. I can't imagine lurking and not being able to give my input!

So, yeah, if you're lurking and have thought about joining, please do. The moderation team is fair and balanced. No, really! Besides, we need "new blood".

Hi, I started my account months ago to know more about something that happened to me. Since then, I'm everyday here, reading stuff. But to be honest, I'm glad you made this topic, opening my eyes to this forum. I will post my opinions and stuff.


Thanks mate!

Drake

Had not planned on it, but this thread convinced me to join.

WAAAA the avatars make everything look different

i have " lurked" on here for about 2 years now, and never once felt like joining in until i saw this thread. and i aint gonna gain any fans by what i have to say......... i would have to say about 95% of the threads and topics are basically written by crackpots sorry i mean people who really believe what they are thinking/saying but are either wording it wrong or are truelly on the edge of insane paranoia, i usually read the headline, go down to about the 5-9th post and just give up. we have all gone down our own path of awakening and have come to, or our understanding of certain subjects are in a constant state of flux but some of the bold matter of fact way some of you come out and start these threads is just mind boggling. this is my first and maybe my last post, i will just go back to lurking. unfortunately there are'nt too many sites with the little snippets of info that i am looking for but like this one they are usually full of the same content. it does make entertaining reading sometimes and most of it just makes us (i mean people who think to know(awakened) more than the average sheeple) look absolutely off our tits.

i know this is a very anal point but more of it would be more tolerable if people who were making earth shattering comments could actually spell, i know i have probably made the same mistakes but when someone is making claims to this and that and they can hardly spell two syllable words i just cant get into what they are saying. i am sorry in advance if this pisses anyone off but i wont chip in again if thats any concellation to you

The avatar are incredibly awesome. I dont want to have Fans or stuff, I just only want to show my opinion... And that's only because of this Thread ^_^

[edit on 16-3-2010 by 44drake44]

Good thread, I agree with the OP wholeheartedly.

C'mon lurkers, join in. There are probably members who are paid to be members and throw red herrings around, or sand in the cogs, so we need all the genuinely caring members we can get!

I actually see a membership here as a kind of life insurance!!