I'm sick of all the KOOKS!

Originally posted by LongbottomLeaf
reply to post by W3RLIED2

 

Crazy?

HAHA That's pure awesome right there!

reply to post by LongbottomLeaf


That's awesome, dude! My sides are still hurting!

Thanks for posting.

reply to post by mysterioustranger


I've had the feeling that many of the most illogical, super outlandish posts are coming from the youngsters who signed up. But then again, you can be an older person and still be a troll, or maybe (actually almost certainly) some of the people who are the kookier seem to believe that their "truths" are the end all, be all, only way any one should believe. Those are the ones that really get me.

" my belief system is the only one ever. If you disagree your wrong, if you have your own opinion about topic X, your wrong. PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN."

Those are the types of post that people truly show their ass in. There was a time when even a thread with no pictures could still be wholly discussed and researched based on eye witness accounts, or personal stories. Besides, even when people do post their own pics along with their own stories, true or hoax, the knee jerk reaction is " I'm calling fake on this one, every one and there brother uses photoshop, so there's NOTHING GENUINE anymore " ..... With attitude like that what's the point of even trying? You've already made your mind up!!!!!

Thank you for contributing to the rant fest!

Originally posted by SavedOne

Originally posted by W3RLIED2
But you know what I'm trying to say. The site motto seems to have fallen on about a thousand deaf ears recently.

YES!! Exactly right. What I believe we have seen is a serious infiltration of cynics that have all but completely drowned out the skeptics. The term "skeptic" has even become a bad word around here when in fact it is the skeptics that engage in meaningful debate. It's the cynics that derail every conversation with pointless bickering and personal attacks. Here's some info on skeptics versus cynics:

“What does it mean to be a skeptic? Some people believe that skepticism is rejection of new ideas, or worse, they confuse “skeptic” with “cynic” and think that skeptics are a bunch of grumpy curmudgeons unwilling to accept any claim that challenges the status quo. This is wrong. Skepticism is a provisional approach to claims. It is the application of reason to any and all ideas – no sacred cows allowed. In other words, skepticism is a method, not a position."

A skeptic is a truth-seeker who seeks truth by questioning assertions and beliefs. By the very definition, a skeptic is open-minded and a curious individual. On the other hand, a cynic projects that which they believe. Not only is the method of inquiry biased, but any answer (no matter how well reasoned) is unacceptable if it does not correspond to any subjective pre-existing belief of the cynic. Cynics are the ones motivated by their own inability to explore the world outside their subjective boundaries, resulting in dogmatic or closed-minded approaches to the argument. The net effect of a skeptic is to establish truth no matter if it goes against established principles, while the net effect of a cynic is to hide the truth to maintain status quo.

A cynic will frame arguments using certain styles of debate. These tactics include ignoring facts, inventing false explanations, raising the bar when their criteria for evidence is met, using double standards, character assassinations, grossly exaggerating and distorting trivial mistakes, or dismissing all evidence by classifying it as anecdotal, unreplicable, or uncontrolled.

The source for the above is an NDE site, but I think they do a nice job of summing up the differences between a healthy skeptical view and a biased, narrow-minded cynical view. The problem lately with ATS is that we're inundated with cynics.

This was towards the bottom and I wanted to move it to page 3 as well. Great post. There is DEFINITLEY more cynics than skeptics. Being a skeptic is never bad, especially with the topics discussed on ATS, a healthy dose of skepticism comes highly recommended. BUT, cynicism should be checked at the door.

reply to post by W3RLIED2

I couldn't agree more and gratz for being the one to say it. You're not going crazy from where I sit, and this is a very real evolution of things here which has me really sad to watch. You've got a few years on me for experience to judge how things have changed here at ATS, but I'll point to just the last 3 months or so as being when a MAJOR shift of intellectual horsepower around here has really started, IMO.

Like you, I come on as often as not these days to see how *I* have been attacked and how best to respond. It isn't how my ideas or posts have been attacked..no, it's all too commonly me..PERSONALLY and directly. My ideas are just the reason the attack has context and setting, it would seem. Just the opposite of what it seems to me, things were and very recently at that.

I also remember when it wasn't a rare thing to see Moderator slaps across threads for Manors, Decorum or just plain old topic. I see less and less of those...as things get more and more out of hand. I believe there is a real coorelation between one and the other.

Mods.. come back! We need ya! The "Best Staff on the Internet", as the mini-profiles always say for title, are all that keeps ATS among the best SITES on the net. Without that dedicated staff work, it's a downright 'heavenly' place around here lately..and that IS NOT a good thing!

reply to post by Suspiria


A day in the life of me

reply to post by W3RLIED2


You got it dude, Glad I could bring some laughter to this desert of humor

reply to post by W3RLIED2


I resemble that remark!

I mean, er... are you talking about the "Keep our own kids safe" organization, or the "keepers of odd knowledge society" people?

Be specific, will you...

Originally posted by kawika
reply to post by W3RLIED2

 

I resemble that remark!

I mean, er... are you talking about the "Keep our own kids safe" organization, or the "keepers of odd knowledge" people?

Be specific, will you...

The loony kind!!!!

Well don't we just sound like a bunch of old geezers talking about the good ole days. Imho the percentage of, to use your words kooks, has not changed. There has always been a share of flotsam and jetsam on this site. I agree with mysteriousstranger:

The web being invisible and all...I now realize that sometimes ( a lot of times) we're arguing with the youngest of ATS members. Its hard to tell.

If you want higher quality posts, then go for it!! I would love to read them.

With the ages of posters there is a fair bit of troll feeding going on, but maybe we should be patient?

reply to post by W3RLIED2

I agree with MStranger and yourself as well here. Seemingly... whereas the ratio once was for constructive, non-prejudicial open discussion for all to learn...I suspect ATS is now in the "over" 15 yet under 23 bracket to be at higher than 50%.

How to learn when 1/2 wont listen to experience...right or wrong??

Thanks so much!

reply to post by W3RLIED2


This site is also for people who believe they have experienced something genuine to come share said experience.

The problem is that when they do they are talked down to and treated like they are ignorant children.

To intelligently offer your skeptical opinion to a OP is not a problem. It's when that response is condescending and disrepectful that crosses the line.

After all, all anyone on this site has is their opinion. No one should be degraded for thinking a certain way.

Sadly that happens constantly on this site.

I have to disagree with you ATS is a conspiracy web site and i happen to like the loons and kooks ive seen some of them put out some very interesting threads that i happened to like some of them are amusing and full out nuts but hey we all have a voice here..
So i guess im one of those loons and kooks ..But what i do have a problem with is the name calling and some of the humiliation the ops go through in here but that being said S&F from your friendly kook..sugarcookie1

Originally posted by webpirate
Of course there are kooks here. It is a conspiracy web site. I agree there are a fair share of the crazies here. But...then again, even a diagnosed paranoid can actually have someone following them.....

As a diagnosed paranoid, I concur

A problem I see here is there's just too much competitiveness - For example if a big news story comes about It's literally a race to be the first to post a thread on it (Because we all know the first thread is the one that stays on the boards and that there means there's a possibility you'll get a hugely flagged/starred thread etc.), which means there's tons of thread's on the same subject and almost all of them have one line and a link, or two if we're lucky.

For the most part, from what I've seen anyway, content seems to take a second place as well now, and not strictly for breaking news threads. As long as the thread has a catchy, frightening or even a controversial title the thread seems to do well, and actual content in the opening post seems to be deemed almost completely un-important. I dunno, it just seems like everyone is in a rush these days and no one wants to dedicate the time to write up or read a longer thread so those thread's seem to become a little bit rare which is just unfortunate really.

I do like this site though and I like to think as a whole a lot can be achieved here but I do think I have to agree that lately I've been getting more and more frustrated because quite frankly.. some members just don't seem to give a damn about what they're posting. For many it seems to be little more than a mere race or a competition.

Anyway, just my 2 cents for what It's worth..

reply to post by W3RLIED2



Wellllllllllllllllll . . . I can sort of understand your perspective . . .

It is more than a little wearying to have sooooooooo much absolutely absurd stuff thrown out as valid stuff when it's not even hanging on so much as a skyhook of evidence.

On the other hand, with different fingers . . .

I'd rather have the absurd be able to post--though preferably without all the self-righteous name calling--than miss out on a useful puzzle piece because folks knew they'd get flamed for not being drenched in 'hard proof' . . . whatever that is.

AS my boss--who had the world's best private collection of pre-Hitler booklets, posters, broadsides, leaflets etc. from Germany . . . asserted . . .

it was the flakiest groups that FIRST AND MOST ACCURATELY

identified who Hitler was, what he would become and what he would do.

Folks just do not seem to appreciate the great import of that.

How could it be otherwise when information is even moderately controlled by the wealthy and the powerful?

So, personally--let it all hang out. I'm capable of sorting and sifting puzzle pieces according to my own criteria and experiences. That's good enough for me. I'd rather do that than have someone else censor what puzzle pieces I see.

Or than even have someone else SELF-CENSOR because they didn't want to put up with the hostility so common for those who haven't proven every word and phrase in a court of law. Sigh.

reply to post by Rising Against


Thanks for your input, RA. Im glad that there are other experienced forum members who can agree that the content as a whole has taken a down turn. On the flip side of that coin, its also a bit disheartening that people who have been here for longer than a a couple years all seem to agree that there has been a steady decline in good content. That's a generalization, of course, since there are still plenty of threads that are well written (Slayer69, sky floating, zorgon, and others). But if we stood back and looked at over all content I think we would find many more one line wonders, drive by trollings, and over all crap posts that bring down the whole site community.

This rant thread has brought me to the conclusion that Ghandi is right. We have to be change. If we want better threads, we have to make them. If we want better posts, we have to encourage people to write better posts. I've tried to start doing so by adding my own new thread to the secret forum and I encourage you all to add some meaningfull, well written content for which ever forum you choose. It's gotta start with us , guys and gals. If you've posted in this thread then let's try and bea positive influence on the boards by practicing what we preach.

Best of luck! I look forward to reading and contributing to some more, meaningful, insightful threads, about all topics. BE THE CHANGE MY FRIENDS.

reply to post by W3RLIED2


So... a group of people trying to take over the world (because this has never happend before) is crazy but aliens and ufos are normal? By who's standards? Maybe, if you don't like the people on this website, or if they don't match your definition of "sane", maybe you should leave?

reply to post by W3RLIED2


Some times I imagine ATSers' as some little mice people, scattered around a scrabble board, trying to make words which don't exist.

Agreed about the illuminati and such. Not every one who uses symbolism in music/videos is a devil worshipper.

Hell, if I wanted to make some cool production, I'd look stuff up too.

No atsers, you're not the only ones on this planet who know about myths, and symbols.

reply to post by TheAnswerTo1984


No that's hardly what I am trying to say.

I'm saying, whatever the subject is there is no need for all the hostilities. Instead, we can intelligently discuss the topics of interest, be it the NWO, extra terrestrial, or what have you.

Debate and discussion is what it's all about. Trolling and flaming all the time is in warranted. People can make a point with out making it personal, and definitely without standing on a pedestal.