ATS = Fear

While I really enjoyed some of the topics that I found on this website I have recently realized that ATS scares the s... out of me. I've been coming to this website for years, mostly reading and not getting involved in the discussions. And ever since I started frequenting ATS I have become more and more paranoid.

What happened to the thing in Ukraine where they supposedly released the swine flu? I almost lost it on that one because that was the peak of the swine flu hysteria and people on ATS kept providing us with info that sh.. is hitting the fan and you best be ready. That was almost a year ago.

What happened to all those people who 2-3 years ago were talking about blue lists , red lists and so on. Basically they were saying that the gov't will pick up everyone in the middle of the night and take them to a concentration camp for "sterilizing".

Then there is, of course, Nibiru and all the 2012 crap. Where is Nibiru? It's a little over a year before 2012 and Nibiru is nowhere to be seen.

At the beginning of 2010 there was a boatload of folks who kept saying "I have inside info and something terrible will happen within the next few weeks". I remember reading these threads every day.

I could go on and on forever but the fact of the matter is ATS spreads too much fear. I really do believe that the gov't is corrupt and that aliens have visited us and that a lot of the consipiracies theories are valid.

I just can't take it anymore. Now there's a methane bubble that is supposed to burst and cause armageddon-like consequences? C'mon people, haven't you done enough already to scare me?

I think if we all could see the BIG Picture, it would scare us, but for some of us it just explains why things are like they are.

I could not agree with this anymore, words cannot describe how fantastic this thread is. I love conspiracy theories, I thought ATS was a site for conspiracy theorists, not psychics and people with super human abilities which seems to be what ATS has turned into. ATS is not longer a true conspiracy forum it is a forum for believers in the paranormal and a medium to spread fear.

I like stuff like, MK-Ultra, 9/11, secret government projects, secret operations and I even venture into UFO’s and sometimes the NWO (which I don’t really believe in but I am open to the idea). However allot of this stuff has taken a back seat on ATS forums people now seem more interesting in topics that are more like sci-fi rather than conspiracy theories. And if you ever challenge someone on the idea that they might be wrong, that is to say “no you can’t predict the future” or “no you’re not part of a secret conspiracy” you get abused by almost everyone else.

And yes I totally agree some ATSters speared fear, the irony is that if you challenge what they are saying it’s you and not them who become the “disinfo agent”. Do you remember recently all that rubbish about Operation Blackjack the emmmmm NEVER HAPPENED?

The thing that really saddens me is that is suspect this thread is going to be abused something rotten by the fear mongers on ATS. Take everything they say with a pinch, or a bag, of salt, and do your own research. You will most probably find that only about 20-30% of ATS is of any substance. But i soppose that varies from person to person depending on what your interested in and believe

[edit on 3-7-2010 by kevinunknown]

reply to post by RamsOnTop


I wouldnt make such a genralization. There are many many posts and members discussing why not to fear and how to overcome fear. Drop into the philosophy metaphysics and psychology forum every now and then to balance out what may seem like doom and gloom.

From a song by muse called Uprising, "If you could flick a switch and open your third eye, You'd see that we should never be afraid to die"

For one who does not fear death, or knows nothing is really destroyed and lost forever, not much on ats can be seen as fearfull.

Buddah said "the whole secret to existance is to have no fear"

No fear propaganda spread by the PTB through msm or any other form would be effective if the masses lived by this, without keeping us down with fear we would be so much harder to control. Truth seek what may have been kept secret from you about your true nature as consciousness so as to allow them to cause fear in you.

If the sheep aint scared of the sheep-dog, and the crows figure out what the scare-crow really is....they are free from the fear that was restricting them, it was the fear and not any actual threat keeping them at bay.

Love is the opposite to fear, so perhaps more time doing what you really love and with people you love you may find your much calmer, just a thought. Meditation can be a great way to find love even if one is all alone in this world they will find infinite love lies within waiting for them.

[edit on 3-7-2010 by polarwarrior]

reply to post by kevinunknown

Take everything they say with a pinch, or a bag, of salt, and do your own research. You will most probably find that only about 20-30% of ATS is of any substance. But i soppose that varies from person to person depending on what your interested in and believe

Took the words out of my mouth. I always keep a salt-shaker handy when I enter the "scare-tactics" zones.

Seriously, they don't effect me. I don't let them. (Unless it's something completely verifiable...oil....case in point.)

I agree with the OP...

I had been visiting ATS for a few years before i joined.
I learnt some things, laughed a lot and was amazed by the vast amount of different opinions.

Fear is the killer as it stop you thinking straight,
be informed but don't let yourself be led into fear as it leads to bad choices.

Enlightenment i believe is in accepting that we all walk different paths, it is the baggage that you choose to carry with you that makes the difference between us.

That's why ATS is so great, it allows you to listen and speak to the world,
even if you don't agree with most of it......

"ATSscares the S^*! out of me".

haha.

That was great.

Lots of dis info-
Lots of Tom Foolery-
Lots of bogus claims-
Lots of mud slinging-
Lots of keyboard killas-
Lots of Great news-
Lots of Great survival techniques..
Lots of Geeks-
I can goon forever.

Only on this site can I get scared and at the same time happy over two different perspectives on the same subject.(if that makes sense).

ATS has already turned me into an addict. I am almost borderline addicted to this site. I dont know why, but I just like knowing whats going on in the world. Current events for some reason, keep me going. I cant explain it, but I have never before been so motivated about politics until I came to this site way back when. Sometimes,though; it effects the way I carry myself when I am out and about. I feel a little more at ease when I know what I am surrounded by. Before, I wouldnt care where I was at, or who I was doing it with, because I was roaming around without cause. Now things seems different, I am a lot more cautious than I was before, definately not a bad thing I dont think. So yea, ATS can scare the S*** out of me too, but sometimes it also makes me feel good that Im not the only one left on this planet that is concerned for the direction we as a species are going.

quick edit-

[edit on 3-7-2010 by Common Good]

yep- it seems like all the conspiracy stuff nowadays- alex jones, zeitgeist, glp, etc- has become a way to market fear. yes- people make lots of money on this stuff and there is a certain fear that arises from having, say, children and NOT having money. this subtle fear is exacerbated through fantastic stories and so on......stemming from personal fear of suvival.....

I have superhuman analytical powers.....


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

ATS is a lot like going to see horror flicks like "Psycho" A few scary moments but when you leave the theater and walk out in the sun; everything is OK.

Until you get home and the dog has destroyed the sofa, a letter from the IRS is in the mail box, and your daughter just got a tattoo of "Krusty the Clown"

I think more importantly that what ATS displays often is that most fears are based on a lack of information.

Now, while the site exists as a venue not just for conspiracies but alternative news and views, one thing that does happen when people ‘wake’ up to the fact that the mainstream news media does not always report the whole truth, and complete truth, is people realize then that they don’t know the real truth.

This then leads to speculation and fear as most people are inclined to believe that the reason they aren’t being told the truth or the whole truth by the media, is because the media is hiding something that could potentially have a negative impact one way or another.

Now people who believe the mainstream media don’t suffer this, because they believe they are well informed, and that the analysis and editorial provided on the 24/7 media stations provides them with a level of certain knowledge that gives them comfort and peace of mind. Such people are often referred to as ‘sheeple’ or ‘asleep’ by many members of ATS.

Now while many members of ATS reject the mainstream media and official version of events and imagine this makes them ‘awake’ and ‘people’ instead of sheeple, the truth is because they lack the tools and skills to seek out the real truth, in far away places, and rarified atmospheres it instead turns many of them into ‘panicking sheeple’ having ‘nightmares’ out loud.

Conversely some skeptics take this to the opposite extreme where they will attempt to defend official stories even when they make no sense at all in part to cling to a belief that they ‘do know’ and ‘knowing’ provides them the psychological comfort, that people who have rejected the official stories no longer have.

Having said that, because many members lack the tools and skill to then really investigate the alternatives in a logical, reasonable, and productive manner, they are willing often to accept ‘any’ alternative version of the ‘official’ story, no matter how far fetched as likely being the truth or more truthful than the official story and the mainstream media.

This leads to buying into many fantastical and frightening scenarios that don’t pan out as people who lack the tools and skills to investigate what is really going on let imagination in most cases be the substitute for diligent research and investigation into the matter, or consider diligent research and investigation plying the internet to find a ‘source’ that is pushing such a fantastical and frightening scenario as the ‘alternative’ truth in regards to situations and circumstances.

This leads to the roller coaster of fear that the Original Poster describes, however this is for the most part cyclical, as after most members ride the roller coaster of fear long enough, one of two things are likely to happen. When the vast majority of the alternative version and perspectives don’t pan out they begin to become more skeptical too, and develop better tools and skill for investigating the alternatives to the official stories and mainstream media, and start focusing on reserving judgment on things until they can find the kind of solid evidence that would make a police detective satisfied, or they just end up abandoning ATS or the pursuit of conspiracies to get off the roller coaster of fear.

Certain events, when they happen, and people in general are reluctant to believe the media or official story, lead to spikes of new members. Those new members come looking for answers to give them peace of mind, but instead find an environment full of often very speculative theories and conjectures and often take them at face value because it isn’t the mainstream news media stating them.

They often become immersed in that odyssey of journeying down the bunny hole, exposing themselves to many more theories on many more events than just the event(s) that caused them to join looking for answers.

It does make many of them fearful and paranoid and then prompts their own imaginations to run wild.

That’s how the learning curve works.

Some of them will blossom and develop into excellent researchers and investigators and find the tools and develop the skills to be just that.

Many of them will end up just being fear mongering posters, while some once they see little to nothing ever pan out will become die hard skeptics of everything, requiring absolute proof that can’t be provided on the internet to abandon the official story and versions and the mainstream news media, and some will just abandon the site entirely.

Yet just like main stream culture, the divisions are numerous enough between the various approaches and styles and personalities that the normal divide and conquer tactics are employed and getting to the truth and putting it out there even for the members who have the skills and tools, then becomes very problematic in such a tense and often confrontational environment.

In the end the whole process is largely held hostage by people who typically always just want to be ‘right’ and will go to almost any length within the terms of service to ‘appear’ right.

So it is what it is, let the buyer beware, enter at your own risk.


[edit on 3/7/10 by ProtoplasmicTraveler]

reply to post by RamsOnTop


Living in fear is silly. Gathering information is wise. Taking it with a grain of salt when there is no proof is also wise.

S&F.

I haven't been a member of ATS for very long, but I used to read stuff on it before I joined. I think I originally found the site from a link to something paranormal, cos I love reading stuff like that.

Yeah, I too like conspiracies, paranormal stuff, mysteries, UFO stuff etc, and that's what I used to like reading when I first found ATS. But now, it seems like the majority of posts are fear-mongering 'end of the world' things that seem to be more for dramatic purposes than anything. ATS definitely seems to have changed.

Where's all the good threads about conspiracies and mysteries for us to get our teeth into? They've all gone

One thing though - unlike the OP I don't get scared by ATS. I just roll my eyes at all the 'disaster' / 'end of world prediction' threads and don't let them get to me, because like someone said they should be taken with a very big pinch of salt

Always remember....

Just because you are paranoid...

Doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!!!!!!

I agree that what you encounter on this site has to be weighed and researched but honestly, in this screwed up world if you're not at least a little scared, you do not understand the situation.

Regarding the swine flu, WHO was the worst fear-mongerer of all declaring a pandemic when they probably shouldn't have. UFO, paranormal and predictive postings always raise my skepticism but are entertaining and food for thought.

Oil spills, economic meltdowns and middle east insanity seem very real and important to me. While scary, I appreciate being able to stay informed because I am less afraid of what I know that the unknown.

reply to post by RamsOnTop


I have to agree with you. While there are many topics on this forum that present alternate thoughts and really get you to stop and think about some things, there are others that quite honestly seem to be more emotional than thought provoking.

I have always enjoyed doing research, yet one thing that I have personally gained through my experience on ATS is that I have learned a lot more about where to go look for further information. With this in mind, I have seen a few topics here that I initially thought were waaay out there only to do a little digging on my own to find there is more to it than I originally thought. But I digress.

There seems to be about 70-80% or more garbage floating around on the Internet. Where specifically ATS falls within that estimate is entirely subjective, but there are some good ongoing discussions here and yes there are times they seem difficult to find, but they are worth the effort. I too am finding myself digging a little more lately, especially to rummage through the end of the world predictions which have been ongoing for several hundred years, and more than likely our great-great grandchildren will be hearing many of the same end of time stories when their time comes to seek answers to their world.

there is nothing to fear on this website.
i read here everyday as this site is the funniest site on the net.
the paranoia in some of the topics makes me laugh so much sometimes.
but to be fair there is a lot of intelligent posters who debunk everything that is posted.
i have often wondered why people call it a conspiracy site as it more of a paranoid delusion site with intelligent debunking.
still good for a laugh though

Originally posted by Wayne60
there are some good ongoing discussions here and yes there are times they seem difficult to find, but they are worth the effort.

Hi

How do you find the good threads? All I see on the list is the 'doom-mongering' ones.

Hints and tips would be greatly appreciated

The Buddha said:

'Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.'

And I think that's sound enough advice right there. I've been reading ATS on and off for a while, only just joined.

This Nostradamus/2012/Nibiru/pseudoscience stuff, I just let it go by me. It's ridiculous.

Mine is a seeking of truth, of light, exposure of corruption and dirty dealings in the world. Gotta be said, WISDOM is key in everything - we all have it inherently, just more people have to tune into it.

This site has some very wise minds, and for that I salute ATS.

reply to post by tappy


Sometimes it's hard, and most of the time they are not on the front page. The front page tends to become cluttered pretty quick, and many topics get lost even before any one sees them. Use the Board button on the menu and check out some of the different forums here.

Although they are a little older, here are a couple that I have linked to on my profile:

Slayer69's excellent thread on Atlantis

Soxmis' thread on Nazi occult

Rising Against's thread on the top haunted locations

and there are more that I have not had the time to backtrack and link to. I wish I had done that while I was reading them, but you know what they say about hindsight. lol

If you would like to read some good user generated stories, the short story forum is a good visit.

reply to post by Wayne60


Cool, thanks I use the 'recent posts' button, that's probably where I'm going wrong then.

Nice links - I'll check 'em out



[edit on 3-7-2010 by tappy]