ATS, i'm not sure I can do this anymore..

reply to post by CAT Master


I know what you mean, but Springer used to come in so actively and give his take on things, but now, and please no disrepect the only time i see him is to give a warning to all members

reply to post by October


I've been to forums, that would have otherwise been interesting, that are in serious need of someone like Springer to come in and crack the whip...Thats why I don't bother going to them nearly as much as ATS.

just my 2 cents..

Originally posted by October
I come on and i barely know anybody.

Originally posted by October
i don't make myself known too much, i like to observe and pop in with my own little take on the situation, i'm not a big player. Like I say i'm an observer...

Seems pretty simple to me bud, if you want to play the spectator role and are not willing to get to know anyone then you're to blame for your own problems.

If you don't like the quality of the threads then make your own.

To the OP:

You're experiencing "burn out". Nothing's really changed on the forum, however there is a definite change in yourself. This is VERY normal. You know the old saying "to much of a thing"...

Take a break and come back. You'll probably never get that newbie pink cloud effect that you came to expect the first few years, but it will feel MUCH fresher if you just back off a bit.

It's very unhealthy to come to depend on a forum for your "kicks" anyhow.

After doing the UFO thing for better than 30 years, trust me, it's good to take a break once in a while. Gives the whole thing a lot more perspective. ATS is one of those places that has to be balanced if you hope to maintain any real sense of a healthy curiosity for that which constitutes the unexplained.

reply to post by October


I'm one of those newer members but can see your point...some days just aren't that exciting or there isn't anything that jumps out at me, but when I've looked around elsewhere I can't find anything that measures up to ATS. If ATS wasn't here, then what would we have as an alternative?

adios;

you'll be back, they always come back.

I'm not sure why it's necessary every time someone may be having a bad day, or may be exasperated or frustrated with the site for whatever reason, valid or not, they must be pelted with the usual "don't let the door hit you on the way out" and "YOU ,you'll see, you'll be back" comments should they choose to express it. Sure there are many threads like this, yet there are just as many of those types of comments, so if originality is to be measured then the failure is equal on all accounts.

As it has also been said several times, people's relationship with ATS changes as time goes by, that is normal. The longer one is a member the more repetitive the topics get, that is also normal. It's not good or bad for the older members but it is good for newer members because they can engage in conversations that most of them never had before. Lest we relegate ninety percent of new threads to existing topics from 2002-2004 when most of the deep conspiracies were covered.

But ATS also changes and that is also neither good or bad, it simply is what it is. And sometimes folks go away, without fanfare never to be seen again because either they have outgrown the site or the site has outgrown them. This is honestly all pretty standard serious internet business.

In any case, to the OP ... perhaps a break is in order, perhaps walking away is the solution for you. I somehow don't think it is the latter for this thread if anything expresses a deep desire to stay. But if you stay the only way you will find joy here (or anywhere) is in full acceptance and without resistance. For to hang around begrudgingly, frustrated that what is isn't what you want it to be, will only further said frustration.

One thing that I find can be fun is to go back at look at really old threads from the first few years of the site ... there are some incredible ones in there buried deep in the database.

Whatever you choose to do I wish you well, and don't let the poopiepants get you down ... there I said it!

I feel for ya man. It's no longer safe to call out liars and hoaxers for fear of bad moderation. We are unable to ridicule the pointless threads you speak of. The news firehose is now useless making it necessary to move on to other news propagation outlets(reddit and fark are now what I use)

Gone are the days of people finding rational explanations for strange phenomenon. It's either people treating stories as gospel or simple crying out, "FAKE!111"

The secret societies forum and ufo forum are both censored whenever something really sensitive comes to light. Masons mob threads that show anything negative about Masonry.Ironic as they are like cops, defending their own damn the facts.(ironic because many cops are masons.)

To be honest though I believe the problem is not a giant conspiracy within ATS. The truth is that ATS is no longer on the cutting edge because of the simple greed within the owners. More members means more profit. To get more members it must be impossible to make any group uncomfortable here. We must welcome all, advertise on facebook, (remove threads on the evils of facebook) and have something for everyone. A great example of this is the ATS comics, pointless, irrelevant, and takes away credibility from topics.

The only way to solve this problem therefore is to give us, the members, freedom to call out frauds and liars, tell people their ideas that have no basis are stupid, and either deny ignorance within ATS or research the truth no matter how crazy that is. Alas this will never happen.

The old ATS we loved is gone man, either stay and get mad or move on, though the sad part about that is that ATS was the best, the worst thing is that is still is the best. There is nowhere to move on to really, GLP is a spook site and that was the closest competitor to ATS.

I can advise you to do what I have started doing, researching everything myself. I suggest that you try to find like minded people to band together with, that's the best advice I have for you.

Take care man.

The popularity of ATS is a double edged sword.

More members means more profit and now we have this great upgraded platform. Being a web guy myself I appreciate the latest development more than most im sure.

However as you said yourself OP, it feels watered down... because IT IS!
Remember, more members means more discussions, which means more posts, which means more noise, etc etc.

While I also hit ATS every day since I work on a computer, I mostly scan the front page now like any other informative news site, and only dig deeper when something good comes along.

I guess what i'm trying to say is that while many threads have become too loud to get a good discussion going, the popularity still has it's benefits. Where else are you going to get your latest breaking alternative news in such real time?

reply to post by schrodingers dog


cuz they always come back

and this is like a woe is me thread.

Sadly, a comment that is true is that people in general, ( and that does mean the globe for you non-thinkers), is that all are divided whether they wish to admit it or not? Divided we stand, united we fall! That phrase never hard more meaning than now! I think ATS has "stumbled" in the sense that there has been a few whom believe that the moderators are beginning to choose what they are going to "police" and what they are not, which would suggest all of the back and forth bantering on a nightly basis. The mods have obviously taken a side, and usually it follows the media outlets view. I guess that's there business, [ I''ll bet money my comments get removed by the mods which would further support my argument]

But I guess all one can do is continue to open their eyes and ears, frown upon all the negativity, ( not to mention the obscene amount of uneducated, ignorant people, some of which have poisoned us with their presence on ATS ) and move forward......................because in the end, the truth shall set you free~

I get where your coming from OP really I do. I have taken a back seat lately and I have noticed not just from u2u's that others are aswell.

I believe after a certain point you get bored of the same old threads, the same old put downs, the same old trolls e.t.c perhaps there is a thing as out growing a site I don't know. All I can say at this point is just do whatever you feel is right. I have noticed since stepping back from ATS I can see alot clearer within myself. There comes a time where you are just swamped with so much negativity and end of the world pepetual doom and from there its a downwards spiral.

With this new points system and what not, it is clear that there appears to be a massive influx of new users that are IMHO bringing down the site (but that could be because I am an old fuddy duddy) I mean to find a good topic to talk about has become increasingly hard over the last 2-3 weeks. Perhaps its just me I don't know.

Anyway I just want to say I feel your pain and I enjoyed reading this thread.

FSF

reply to post by schrodingers dog


That was a very good post. I understand where you are coming from and I sometimes think that the "poopypants" (I can't even think that without seeing that chick from the Rob Zombie flick) are merely the ones with the door still stuck in their ass from the last time THEY left.

I agree ATS has changed, I feel that it has become more commercialized. I once said ATS would eventually grow to be bigger than CNN. and it either will or get shut down. but where else can you go to get the news before anyone else and were else will they discuss topics the msm wont touch. I guess with growth comes commercialization
by the way I am one of the hardcore believers infact I not only believe, I want earth to become a universal melting pot for all beings both human and not

I agree ATS has changed, I feel that it has become more commercialized. I once said ATS would eventually grow to be bigger than CNN. and it either will or get shut down. but where else can you go to get the news before anyone else and were else will they discuss topics the msm wont touch. I guess with growth comes commercialization
by the way I am one of the hardcore believers infact I not only believe, I want earth to become a universal melting pot for all beings both human and not

OP.
I feel the exact same way.
I was talking to a friend yesterday and made the comment that its sad that I am actually spending more online time playing mindless videogames instead of reading the mindless drivel I see here lately.
You are not the only one who is seeing this.

For the people with the *if you want better threads then make one*argument,I don't make quality threads as i have learned so I don't make them....its just too bad others don't use that same method of thought and try to keep the boards integrity up.

I also notice that before some mods were mods they made excellent threads...once they became mods,their presence or absence is very much missed and noticed,and their contributions(other then being a mod) become minimal.
For the quality some of these people contributed...its really a shame.

(yes I know mods..you are busy,just sayin)

Dude, i hear ya and totally understand...ive been here under multiple names since oh like 4 years past...and once you realize its just an entertainment forum you're good....NO ONE should come here looking for any life answers...this is not unlike those UFO BIGFOOT ATE MY WIFE newspapers. Seems you've learned that with all the preposterous claims and theories set forth here...no one has a damn clue as to what any of it means lol...it's all just banter with ZERO proof...so ya if you came here looking for answers...im surprised you lasted as long as you did....its all ridiculous fiction.

I'm new and don't mind a mix of hardcore believers and hardcore debunkers. I'm in the middle and find each side interesting. I want to know the truth, but I also like not knowing for sure. It makes life interesting.

reply to post by October


I'm just adding my support, I can see exactly what you are saying and you make perfect sense. Our experience is almost identical, but it seems to me to be an unfortunate result of success, it has happened to a few sites I know and have been frequenting for a few years. You'll get a lot of "well if you don't like it now then go away" kind of ignorance, but I know exactly what you mean, and where your coming from, I very much miss the sites now lost to success. Still I come here, have been since the site first went up, because there's still nothing quite like this place. Like I said just adding, well, more recognition than support.

I dont see this site as 'successful'...as people here have learned zero about the mysteries of the world. If you mean putting money in the pockets of the jerkies that created the site, then sure MAYBE a marginal success...but overall it's a giant fail in terms of anything discovered...as a skeptic i see that ZERO has been uncovered here in the millions of bits of info.

And only in terms of the cheap adverts they pick up here...this site doesn't generate all that much $. Not to mention these people arent creating # for content...the users do so its a big ripoff laugh in your face type thing.