Similar Minds On ATS!! Quick!

Hello! I created this thread in reaction to the buffet table of conspiracy threads here on ATS.

Recently I noticed how many members share similar mindsets and/or language when discussing conspiracy threads. This language is primarily used by the Original Poster. The way a person frames an idea or conspiracy is the first step to shepherd other members into a similar state of paranoia. However certain applause is due to the population who does point out blatant crazy-talk and to the population that avoids these cliches when starting a topic.

Now, originally I was going to provide links to specific threads but I don't want to point fingers so please click yourself over to the general conspiracy forum and have at it

Violations of my personal intellectual gain.

1. Over-usage of unspecified villains.
Forums most affected: General Conspiracy, Peak Oil, New World Order

Example of Extreme Unspecified-ness:
"They did it."
"They do not want us to know that this is occurring"

Example of Moderate Unspecified-ness:
"The government is behind it"
"The big coal company is at fault"

Example of Unspecified-ness that ATS'ers Need to Avoid the Most Because Other Members Won't Make Fun of the OP for What Appears to Be a Petty Violation:
"BP claims that..."
"Russia and Somalia are in cahoots"
"The disaster is actually caused by Goldman Sachs"

This last example is the most lethal. Why? Because ATS, you have pointed a small toothpick at a large hot-air balloon. This is my foremost concern. I urge everyone to look at key persons instead of big corporations when deciding who is behind said conspiracy. Let us step back for one second and resist shouting "BP is not doing anything!" Instead, focus on key persons involved. This leads nicely into the next violation, which is actually more so an annoyance issue.

2. Calling members to look at the big picture. Generally follows a series of statements or sourced facts, accompanied by an exclamation mark, or two... or three!!!
Forums most affected: General Conspiracy, Aliens and UFO's

Example of Big Picture-ness:
"This is the big picture forming!"
"We need to start looking at the big picture!!!!"

Example of Big Picture-ness Questioning:
"Can't you see the big picture?"
"Now that you know these facts, how can one not comprehend the big picture?"

Example of Big Picture Synonyms:
"It is time to wake up folks"
"WAKE UP!!!!"

Sorry for what seems to be a rant but I firmly believe that we do not need to see the big picture. Too many times I have read a good idea...too many times that good idea is a mere string of facts and a whole page of conclusion. No, I do not want to complete the puzzle with only five pieces. Many members have a habit of using the facts to connect outwardly instead of inwardly. Please, let us try to look at smaller pieces with more detail before making grand leaps to the whole design.


3. Acting as though the leaders of our world/jobs/political systems are an uncaring and unintelligent mob.
Forums Most Affected: ALL

Example of Such Thought:
"The BP oil company has not done a thing, they are in it for the money"
"[Insert Political Group] doesn't care about your jobs!"


Consider this: Many Americans feel saddened or angry when another labels all Americans as greedy, obese or selfish. Do you feel it is fair to be lumped in with those adjectives? Truly ask yourself this, it is not a hypothetical question that I framed to get you to understand my POV
But now you know.

Discrimination has moved beyond race and has evilly implanted itself into what a man does with his life. Some of us live in free countries because a man or woman wanted to be a politician and went on to change the rules. Yet, every day one of us points a finger at all politicians. You are able to drive a car because another human drilled for the oil. And every day, BP is stomped on.

This brings me to my last point and violation.

(Continued)

[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

4. The Conglomeration of Inactive Action Members. Often follows after facts have declared something is wrong with the mass media/economy/political system/Wii system
Forums most affected: ALL

Example of Inactive Action Shouters:
"........." (This is the action or thought that occurs once people have agreed that yes, something is terribly wrong with the world)
"We need to do something people"

This violation annoys me the most.
I compare this dilemma to how I believe Thomas Edison felt after he got the light bulb to turn on after the millionth try.
"Light! I have light! I am the only person to have light! ....now what?"
Eventually people did get light I hear, but I bet he sat there for a minute and had to contemplate what to do with it.
This is the stage ATS is in. We have all this light and we are sitting here unsure yet what to do with it.
So, I ask each of you to try from now on to expand conversations about current world issues down the road of what action a citizen might be able to take.
Much time is spent looking up the problems and little time is spent discussing what can happen outside the talking-about-it world.
Seriously, let's help each other out, and start providing links to state voting dates/assemblies/rallies whatnot.

I really hope this thread can change at least one members mindset on ATS! I know I have not posted much on here and this is my first major thread... but that is due to just liking to watch a thread progress and listen to others!

Sorry if this seemed like one large rant but I believe that we can get a lot more accomplished outside in the world too if we limit unspecified-ness, step closer to the picture, remember someone is on our side, and find solutions instead of disagreements.

What do YOU propose we might do here on ATS to counteract above violations? (Almost violated my own take-action policy)


[edit to contemplate solution on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]


Might I point out that many threads are clicked on by others because of the simple usage of exclamation marks or a capitalized word and sometimes a 'wake up' statement. Suppose I need a better lead in

[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

Great opening post OP , you raise some great observations.
Perhaps it is the feeling of impotence , that drives people here to ATS?
We see the local town gain more and more unemployed whilst the govt calls for more migrants, some of the unemployed say "I could do that job"
but no one is interested.
So people need to believe there is some grand conspiracy, whereas it is simply about money, the local businesses in the area , want migrants they bring in new money.
No one wants to understand selfish explanations on small scales?
Their pain is too great for a mundane explanation?
Therefore as part of your oP alludes to we want to blame a big bad wolf?
Anyway I commend you on a great thread

I think that if we all stop playing or just made up our own rules we would all win.

Of course none of us can stop the temptation of pointing the finger and blaming someone else.

reply to post by 12.21.12


On the contrary, it seems to be when one or two people played by their own rules is when the group lost as a whole. But yes, the satisfaction we feel when we point at another overrides our own progress.

Most posters here have an inability to do anything about everything... I am a cabinetmaker in the netherlands and lately I've found myself with an abundance of spare-time in light of the economic melt-down... Now when I started coming to ATS alot of unanswered questions were floating around in these threads. Questions I came up with before and also new questions... As people strive to deny ignorance and try to filter out the truth from this mass of information it is quite obvious things will turn out like you described in your OP...
The thought you present deserves kudos but at the same time I feel its quite impossible to realize... Americans have the ability to influence their government a tiny bit by ways of election but when looking at (yes here it comes ) THE BIG PICTURE one can see that a large portion of those influencing our daily lifes from above are not really up for election... heck last night down here there was the results of the new government election... I am very concerned with world-wide developments but I didn't even take the trouble to go up and vote... why? Caus it wont make a difference...

Again the thought you present is noble but unattainable IMO. us sheeple only whine while watching everything go to sh*t around us... the small percentage of world-population present here on ATS (wich would account for quite a large portion of people "in the know") are not gonna do jack to change things...

reply to post by fizliz


very good!

don't forget the proverbial "TPTB" alongside the "they"s

reply to post by faceoff85


On an unrelated note I love coming here and talking to people from all over the world. We are all on the same boat. I dont think we are helpless though. I think we all know why we are here.

reply to post by 12.21.12


Agreed we're not helpless but what I do think is that we are powerless to change the course of this boat were on... as for our specific cabin... we can furnish it as we like

reply to post by faceoff85


You can post here and help collect knowledge for the global subconscious. This is a battle of the mind. Mind over matter.

At one time we were too afraid to ask questions, thinking that questioning authority would lead nowhere. Well, questioning what is right and what is wrong has gotten us far but it will not get us too much farther. I do appreciate your input though faceoff! Elections though involve the person very little in the society...
Like the metaphor!

Yup thats what ATS is about... Collecting data and processing it with anybody willing to give their input... but when I think about what we can accomplish with this I always start to wonder.... Is there really something practical wich can be done? Say for example we uncover the BP oil spill and are able to point out with circumstancial evidence who is guilty... then what? TPTB would simply create a scapegoat and be on their way again...

seriously, how do you guys see this whole thing being able to make a difference aside from having the knowledge?

reply to post by faceoff85


much of it is unavoidable because it has been in the works for thousands of years. But like the BP spill it is a bit unpredicatable and as a government the US is throwing a hail mary pass and possibly putting the whole thing up for grabs. Question is are we smart enough to restore a capitalist government or to start over?

Socialism is not an answer because most of the world is and thats global domination.

The other part is that the GOV knows they are on a slippery slope, happens every 3,600 years.

I normally have no wish to reply to rants and would rather let the OP live in his/her own delusions, of their own high deluded opinions, believing themselves being the only ones right and their way of thinking correct, and belittling others of their efforts if they so much do not conform to such deluded creatures' perceptions.

But here I am, after seeing so many of such posts recently in ATS, that I am beginning to see a pattern here, and wonder if it is indeed true that disinfo agents from TPTB are real and are attempting to contain their inept and imbecile mistakes made in public through forums such as this.

Originally posted by SeekerofTruth101
I normally have no wish to reply to rants and would rather let the OP live in his/her own delusions, of their own high deluded opinions, believing themselves being the only ones right and their way of thinking correct, and belittling others of their efforts if they so much do not conform to such deluded creatures' perceptions.

But here I am, after seeing so many of such posts recently in ATS, that I am beginning to see a pattern here, and wonder if it is indeed true that disinfo agents from TPTB are real and are attempting to contain their inept and imbecile mistakes made in public through forums such as this.

Hehehe no pun intended OP but while reading the OP the very same chill went down my own spine... I honestly dont think it has anything to do with disinfo agents as one of those would use alot more roundabout ways of setting people on the wrong track.

@12.21.12

So what you're saying is that knowing the way this world is going to sh*t is gonna help us rebuild afterwards? Gotta say it has some merits...
I have a bit of a different angle however... I tend to connect the dots with a religious background... thats my reason for coming here.... I feel we are living in some sort of conclusion of this society and I think a change is at hand... what this change will be and who will bring it about is ofcourse up for discussion but IMO ATS provides quite accurate data to make a decent estimate of where we are in this timeframe...

reply to post by SeekerofTruth101


I don't mean to belittle others efforts at all! If you noticed, I'm having a little bit of fun with this topic while suggesting that we enhance our efforts to find the truth or snuff out a hoax... Yeah how else to retort except say that I am not a dis-info agent..

reply to post by fizliz


No problems with who you are, as I am insignificant and a nobody, with no neccessity to explain yourself to.

It will be your message that is judged upon with responses, for its merits or the lack of it.

While you and I can NEVER change govt policies, we can help others around us - our families, relatives and friends to gain better perspective, to find their own truth and share a common reality, and then seek for change. No more falsehoods. This is what ATS is about.

reply to post by SeekerofTruth101


Helping our families and friends gain more perspective is a way to take action. Will that be enough? I'm willing to bet that there is more people than we assume who have some sort of insight that we need change, I guess I'm frustrated with the feeling that everyone feels too puny to do anything about it.

Off to snooze for the night... Until tomorrow!
[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

[edit on 10-6-2010 by fizliz]

for change to be made one needs to be able to gain a position in wich one can make changes.... However thats where the real problem lies... those high-ranking circles are pretty much shut off from the average joe is it not? I mean in theory anybody walking down the streets should be able to become the president of the US but in reality only the powerfull and wealthy can strive for such a place and the average joe doesn't have a chance in hell to ever reach that place...

Now for the flip-side of the coin called ATS... Its a plce where fear-mongering is pretty evident... there are days where my stresslevel is negatively influenced from reading on ATS. the same goes for my relatives... I keep my mouth shut because I know in reality my relatives just want to live out their lives and are happy that way... they dont wanna know what it is thats lurking in the darkness. It would scare them and they choose to live life in denial...

Can we really blame them for that?

reply to post by faceoff85


Fear mongering or truth deduction here are but opinions that can be rationally debated and discussed. Through it all, one will gain better insights and perspectives, to share with others.

While you and I may presume to have failed to convince our own circle, it does not mean others will not succeed. And it will be upon their shoulders to make that change, so long as EACH one of us tried, learn, and then try again, never to give up, if not for the sake of ourselves, think of the innocent next generations that looks upon us hopefully as matured adults.

Every politician knows the power of the vote. And that change is where it will come from. At least for the time being till they start labelling every citizen as a 'terrorist' for questioning their policies.