Anyone feel like a "child" on ATS?

Originally posted by SamLuv
Your opinions may not always align with the populous, but the great thing about a place like ATS, is that even the most baseless opinions have people who agree with them on here.. Maybe not a lot, but a few... and just knowing others side with you, or agree with your argument, is very validating.

I found this to be very rarely the case (back in the day when I still had the confidence to post). Distribution of stars soon put me in my place and knocked the stuffing out of my self-esteem and I struggle to recall a single instance of anybody parachuting in to back me up.

So in the end I just trotted off into the sunset. I'm still a little bitter about it (hence this post). Confidence isn't something that can be turned on and off at the flick of a switch - it is gained by other people reinforcing your views and on ATS that is achieved through the awarding of stars.

Should you find yourself to be unpopular, for whatever reason (posts not up to scratch, supporting an underdog position etc), then you'll sink like a stone on this website... or get banned when you can't contain your resentment any longer.

If, however, the rest of the membership judge you to be 'ATS material' then you'll get lots of lovely stars and if you are especially worthy you may even get a pretty gold or silver border to go around your posts... that's to show that you are superior to other members and your opinion holds more weight. How us less enlightened folk manage to hold on to a sense of self-worth and relevance in such a posting environment is beyond me.

Originally posted by EllaMarina
I don't mean it in the sense of being childish. More like... whenever I walk into any thread and read the post and the following discussion, I get the sense of walking in on an Adult Conversation. You know, how when you were a kid and listened idly to a group of grownups next to you, talking. And the subjects are so serious and far above me that I know I wouldn't be able to offer much in the way of input, and it's the same way here.

Despite that, I come on the site every day, because everything really is interesting. Maybe someday in the next century or so, I'll grow into the atmosphere.

No worries there, EllaMarina. We are all here to learn, and to teach what we know. To expose secrets, and hidden things. I too sometimes come into a conversation that is above me in intellect, and if I can offer nothing in way of support or dispute, I just read and move on. And the truth of the matter here is is some adults, when in the midst of a heated discussion, begin to act like children....

There are many "Old Souls" here at ATS. Many scholars, and most are well read in several subjects. Everything you say in here will be both supported and disputed. That is the nature of such a community. Just be thankful we have such a medium.

I do feel like a child on ATS.....I'm actually just 14.

A lot of the threads go beyond my understanding and comprehension but they are interesting. Right now I'm observing and posting in places I feel more confident about and in the future I might consider which categories would be the kinds I would want to discuss in.

We have to start at the beginning. We also may never know if what we say will contribute to others even if it is not as complex as many others. Feeling that way I think is normal in a place with so much processing and in-depth discussions as well as lighthearted conversations every now and then.

reply to post by EllaMarina


Hi EllaMarina,

If your first instinct is "I'd like to respond or be a part of this" then put on your flame suit and go into it like this...



and for peace-of-mind always remember..............

reply to post by EllaMarina


I am 57 and I get that feeling a lot here at times.It is even
worse when you get the feeling you're not smart enough to
play.

I know what you mean OP. I felt like a child when I first started lurking and when I first joined up. However, I have the tendancy to research almost everything I come across that is unfamiliar to me, if I owe ATS anything its thanks for being one of the tools that lead to my education.

Since then however, I feel a lot more confident in the knowledge I hold, and feel comfortable participating in a discussion 90% of the time.

Although it does seem, this is more of a forum to have conversations and banter these days, which isn't really a negative aspect. Most subjects have already been covered, and until a new perspective arrives, there's not much educational discussion left to be had, apart from pointing newbie's in the right direction.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
Nope. You need more confidence in your opinions, if you question them then I guess it could make you feel like a child.

I disagree. See my siggy.

It can seem that one is a child when some pseudo-intellectuals post words that are sourced from a thesaurus. If one wants to make a point they should make it so that people can understand what they are saying. Not trying to impress others with a large vocabulary.

reply to post by EllaMarina


Shame on you kid......you're interrupting my Ravens Eagles game. ( It's the NFL )

Just kidding. I starred and flagged you for your openness. I like that. You sound like a good person. When you find someone here that you like what they say, friend them and follow them. It'll make your time here more enjoyable.

I kinda felt the same way though when I first started reading all this 8 years ago. I thought all the political topics were SO mature and informed. My how times have changed. Since then my tastes have changed as has my participation here. I don't feel like I'm learning as much anymore, and that I'm doing more teaching. When I start to get too big for my britches though, I go see what Phage has to say. He makes everyone here feel like a child.

But that's the thing though, never stop wanting to learn. You can never know too much, and don't really look at who's saying something. Look at what they're saying. That's why, IMO, it's easier to learn things on the internet. You don't have that personal thing getting in the way of information. The down side is that you have to use your instincts to discern the BS from the real thing because there is a lot of BS around here.

And try not to feel like a child about it all. You're just another person with different experiences. Look at it that way and you won't feel so inferior which can make learning come harder for some people.

And be like the Ravens. Every time an opponent scores some points against you, come right back with it. Don't be shy. It makes everything fun, ya know?

Right back atcha babe.

Yeah and no.... Lol

Kids ask questions and so do I.

Kids have fun and laugh when you say a " bad word" ...so do I.

Just because a thread is going doesn't mean you can't jump in.

Please do so...... Another thinker needs a voice around here.

My view - we need kids on this site.

Kids tend to question the fundamentals that old fuddy duddies (like myself ) take for granted and are necessary for a varied and balanced debate on a conspiracy web site. For instance, on another page, there is a glorious debate about UFO 2012 leave the moon that spilt over to the fact that you can only see 59% of the moons surface from earth . A kid is more likely to ask "Why is that?".

What I have found to help my confidence on this site is to try to include at least two links to back up my claim, knowledge (as shown above).

Isn't it a wonderful feeling when we are reminded that we far from know everything or even have an opinion on everything. So much to learn and explore and no pressure to have it right. Being a 'child' in the way of entering a topic for the first time should not be something to frown on rather it is a perfect place to start every conversation. When we come from a place of not knowing we not only have much to learn we can also teach a few things.

much love enjoy the journey

reply to post by intrepid


I don't mean have confidence to the point where you refuse to be proven wrong...but if you're afraid to post, that generally means you don't have the knowledge or confidence to debate the topic at hand.

ATS is like OZ, it can be intimidating, even scary. You need to look behind the curtain. Many of the people here are really smart, most are also kind. The rest are just like you. You are unique in all the world. You see as no one else sees. This is your gift to the world. The way you see a topic, might just be what someone needs to hear, or provide a new way of thinking about something. Your impulse to contribute is your gift calling you, it wants to be given. Many on here have had intense suffering in their lives. As you come to know them, you will be amazed at what they have been through, and the compassion and love they have for others as a result. This place loves to think, debate, laugh and encourage one another, jump in, the water is just right.

actually i came here to feel like a child, is that wrong? ^^

As the OP points out, even if you are not up to speed on a particular issue, it can be fun just tuning in to the conversation and learning. I have done that quite a bit and have learned a lot in areas where I might just as well be a child in terms of knowledge.

When I started posting on ATS I made a conscious decision that I would go all out and give my posts the best effort that I could. Since I am 63, have a university degree and a lot of experience, some of it highly unusual, it means some of my posts can be fairly "heavy", even though a lot of the others are much less so. There are many people like me on this forum but I think that is what makes the reading and discussions here so interesting.

The kids are not relegated to the play room or talked down to. ATS is the real deal. There are real experts in these forums, often dropping stuff that you will find nowhere else, outside of very private discussions.

Have fun and learn. I'm still doing both.

Thanks, everyone. You gave me a lot of encouraging advice. I'll continue to read and learn, at the very least understand what is being said in the first place-- the political topics are indeed the most Mature and Informed" posts I come across.
Wow... it's not very often that one receives genuine acceptance of innocently ignorant viewpoints, is it? Almost like the feeling I'd have gotten as a kid if I were ever included in an adult discussion... surprising and even a little surreal.
Then one or two of the grown-ups start acting like immature jerks... and I'm taken aback when the jerkiness is directed at me.

There are plenty of members who think they are better than the rest, lots of egos about the place.

Whilst were at it, ATS, shut down those stupid auto adverts, I live in a rural area, slow connection due to location, you kill my bandwidth to the point it's not even worth coming here anymore. Sort it out! Seems like money is more important to ATS these days. Money has ruined this site.

Originally posted by Consequence
Interesting. I mostly think that the people involved in elaborate conversations have "learnt" about the world through random conspiracy theory videos on YouTube, rather than from, well, reality.

I have learned something new since I joined ATS, and I'm over 50 years old. I learned that "learnt" is actually a word. I've seen it used so many times here, I looked in the dictionary, and there it was!

Now, if I can find where they changed the meaning of "were" to "where", and "where" to "were", and also, "then" to "than", and "than" to "then", I'll be flying high on catching up with the English language!

reply to post by EllaMarina


I think it's good for us, no matter how old we are, to still feel like a child at times. Not just to revisit innocence, but to inspire us to learn. Sometimes I can hit the nail on the head and other times I feel like I am out of my league. Some people can say things much more eloquently than I can. Some have experience I haven't yet acquired. Wisdom doesn't always come with age, though. Sometimes the most timid and lacking in confidence come up with the greatest insights. And ego, that false sense of superiority some have, always leads to trouble eventually.

reply to post by jude11


lol priceless