A note about serial thread crashers......

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


By being a little patient, I see that what I originally was hesitant to post appears to have some merit.

My first thought had been that the natural reaction of a member viewing this thread would naturally question whether or not they were among those who were referred to and that the ones needing to hear the message most would ignore it. I said nothing because I saw how quickly it could become a multi-page, silly mess if everyone started with replies of, "Gee.... I hope you aren't talking about me."

It would appear events have taken care of themselves quite well in my absence.

The only thing I'd like to add is that it can be a bit intimidating to feel as if you fall into the undefined middle ground where you clearly aren't an obnoxious troll yet your thoughts don't qualify as worthy of a standalone thread. That leaves you in the regrettable position of questioning if the point or question you've posed will be considered disruptive. I tend to think in tangents and someone new to my acquaintance can find it off-putting. Maybe I've spent too many years making calls to subroutines...

One thing I will guarantee. I never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings and if something I've posted comes across as other than intended, the apology is always instant the moment I am aware of what has happened.

I work very hard not to be a complete a$$, to the person, when I reply to posts. Topics are fair game. If three sentences and some links and a pic are all that are going to be posted (such as a political tidbit), I'm on it.

Smylee gets props here, she tends to work on things, incorporate an intelligent opinion and usually gets thoughtful feedback. Most of the mods compile some amazing pieces of information. I have started very few threads, I tend to feel, later, as though I could have and should have done more.

Yes, I troll. I'll argue with some until they lose it. But I want to know conviction. If only to see the level of honesty I am being presented with.

I also have spent hours researching items of intense interest to me, and feel the smarter because of it.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


thanks wrabbit,
glad to know i am not the only one who is increasingly concerned by this trend.

several times in the recent past i have felt the need to create a thread on this topic but didnt.
though im always around here i dont post much. usually because im almost always late to the thread and ideas similar to mine are already in discussion, in any case it is in this tardiness i have developed the ability to recognize particular members avatars and associate with them thier style of posting, hence giving me the ability to ignore those who mostly have nothing valuable to offer.
i will say that your avatar is not one that i skip, thanks for taking the time and caring enough to express this concern!

Thanks for the thread Wrabbit. I enjoyed and appreciate your sentiments. I agree it happens, and I think it is a sign of the times. I believe people are more immature and possibly uneducated in their late teens and early twenties than ever in history. Maybe it's just that technology is more readily available to those in that age group.

I can't explain it, as I'm neither a psychologist or a sociologist. However, I will say that I think I perceive it to be the case.

Well said Wrabbit.
I overdose on ATS every few months or so, when I have time, and this is one of them.
I have noticed someone who is pretty new, has clocked up hundreds of posts and who has jumped on loads of other peoples posts, behaved like a troll or shill and just put other people down. That sort of behavior would scare many people from posting. It's a shame, but I suppose eventually they get noticed for what they are.

Nicely put and definitely the right forum rather than rant. I know I’ve only been a member for a couple of years, but I was a long time lurker until I retired from the military and one thing I noticed was the uptick of trolls during the summer months and vacation periods. We are entering another such period. Nothing new here.

I do find it annoying when trolls drive away members who contribute or get their goat so bad that they are banned.

I try to contribute to the majority of threads by posting my opinions. But sometimes, my humor gets the best of me.

Just remember to breathe deep.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Though I enjoyed reading your rant, I can't help but wonder how the "serial thread crashers" must have enjoyed it too. After all it is attention that they seek, and as long as they are given attention they are going to continue doing what they do best.

Guess there's no room for joking here, that or the mod didn't even bother reading the OP to realize it was a joke, either way it's disappointing.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


You know who you are and so does everyone else.





A little pompous in the sense that you think your generalizations are universally accepted, but the rest had some good substance.


Feel free to name names champ - otherwise, this belongs in Short Stories.

reading through all the posts on this thread I couldn't help but notice that there were some removed posts. Imagine that, going on a thread that is discussing Terms violations and mannerism and posting exactly in a manner that is the subject of the thread.........

There's a comedian that has a rather famous saying that sums up my thoughts on this but in the interest of manners I will refrain from putting his saying in words.

reply to post by facelift

No, it's not about names. It's not about individuals. Nothing personal fits, because nothing personal is meant. That gains nothing but to make the overall issue worse, to be completely realistic about it. The purpose is to bring the overall topic to light as something to think about and a little direct language seems to fit for that.

If you haven't noticed it in your own experience, then that's all the better. ATS is an enormous site where I'm still finding areas I haven't been to see threads and content before. I've actually been surprised at how many people this resonated strongly with though. Sometimes, I think it can see a lot accomplished toward solving a problem by just openly acknowledging it exists. At least when it's among a community of generally like minded, if diverse people. Kinda like it is around here.

reply to post by EllaMarina


This has NOTHING to do with freedom of speech supression, it has to do with one liners that have NOTHING tio do with the thread in question. "This is a dumb thread, and you ARE WRONG" have NO place in threads, without refuting the OP

Originally posted by Sankari
The motto of this site is 'Deny Ignorance.' Let's uphold that ethos. Don't let the propagandists win.

Search for truth. Accept it wherever you find it, no matter how unpalatable it may be.

Check the facts. Double-check the facts. Triple-check the facts. Post only when you're sure of the facts.

Refute lies. Correct misinformation.

Be prepared to accept that you might be wrong.

Nothing wrong with that, I always post my opinions and ask forothers

Thanks for the post Wrabbit. Reading this I hoped not to fall into this category at all. Especially as how new to ATS I am. There are a lot of new members here and it's quite intimidating for some of us. Peoples first reaction to a (possible) insult is to retaliate even though it's wrong, sure know that feeling and try not to and failed a couple times. That doesn't help either.

As a previous post mentioned some of us (perhaps many) fall into that middle ground and have to work around that when relating to others. Also perhaps some of us (OK me anyway) are still trying to learn this BBCode so we can start new threads and contribute more. This leaves the option of spending a large amount of time adding to what are new threads others have posted. Until then "do no harm."

There is no need to overcomplicate matters imo. Yes the OP normally takes a while to gather their evidence and post it, and considering this is an alternative site, one should assume that the majority of people SHARE such alternative views or they would be on some msm network posting replies there.

I think it is frustrating that for some folks they can only gather sources that are 100% mainstream to use as cannon fodder with their pseudo-debunking agenda. These folks also have a tendency to flamebait others with ridiculous responses to get them banned eventually.

Anyway that is my 2 cents.

I try to add relevant content whenever possible but if something is related to the post I kind of look in that direction too. The intent is not to derail, it is to broaden the scope and look at things that might be of interest but hey nobody ever reads my posts anyway, well I guess i got me a freebe post here... .research is a pain and you never know if you have given the proper links or kudos

Thought I should say thank you for the Stars and Flags. And Wrabbit, I think you are awesome!!!

Originally posted by Magister
Wrabbit, I hope you (and everyone else!) will feel free to tell me if I get out of line or give offence.

well, i wasn't going to say anything. But your on my nerves all the time. What with that skunk colored beard and dead pan stare. Breathing in and out, over and over. Writing words. Always more words.....



Seriously, Wrabbit...truth. I tend to not bite my tongue with them, either. I don't author many threads, but contribute quite a bit to the ones everyone else authors. And think the behavior you describe is disrespectful of the (free) efforts of others.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


ABSOLUTELY INDEED.

It has become a far too chronic plague, imho.

Many times, such folks seem to be 50-70% of the respondents on some topics.

Thanks for speaking up.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
It becomes a self feeding monster.

It doesn't though, does it? It is not self feeding, it is being fed, or else it would have moved on a long time ago to more prosperous hunting grounds. The fact is that you are feeding it - with threads like this. Another member has pointed it out too, they will have enjoyed this little rant, so much that they would probably consider this thread to be theirs. This thread is now stuffed and mounted above their fireplace for all to see.

I also don't think these people are nefarious in their actions. They are just you and I on one of our bad days. Taking the mick, having a larf, being a bit of a tit. You make them sound like some sort of sub species that needs to be wiped out. I for one am thankful to them. Lord knows how many times a ridiculous comment or a stupid one liner has brightened my day.

Of course, I have also felt the bitter sting of having a thread I have spent considerably time on being hijacked - but that's what the ALERT button is for, that's what the MODS are for. Just ignore the tomfoolery and carry on. I don't make threads on ATS anymore because I don't think it is a productive place for discussion anymore, so I take my work elsewhere. I still come here every day and read and learn and chip in now and then because I enjoy this site and I am grateful for what it has given me. I just don't take it very serious anymore.

And yes, I can appreciate the irony that my participation in this thread is also "feeding the monster." The difference being that I believe some monsters need feeding

Spot on post OP! Thank you for approaching this topic. I have noticed this as well. Do you have one of these?

With the recent news of spying and infiltrating "civil rights" groups by the PTB, it really doesnt surprise me at all anymore. Sites like this are full of "non-conformist" & "subversive" types.(IE anyone that doesnt jump when the govt says so) so does it really come as any surprise that a site like this would be crawling with agents, spreading disinfo and discrediting those that have anything of substance to say. And then there are just the dumb people that really dont have anything constructive or even intelligent to say.
A few years ago Id have thought I was being paranoid to think a site like this would have propagandists or govt co-intel agents, but now I KNOW 100% its not only likely but CERTAIN TO BE TRUE.