This is a serious thread.

I cant help notice lately that all the people i knew to be here for a long time, my friends, seem to have dissapeared.

I think we have to look at ourselves and figure out what we are doing wrong before we do away with every good member we ever had.

They're not on vacation either. They're gone due to hurt feelings, just plain fed up with some things.

Some of them even ask if they should stay. Now, what would make someone say something like that , as if membership here is by POPULARITY and what they have to say is meaningless unless they are part of the clique??

Well, i have good news for for all of you. I'm not leaving and further, i dont care if i stand up to your standards or not.

Some of you better think long and hard before you go around ignoring people, pretending they dont exist, and making peoples lives miserable when they post because some of us do not appreciate losing our friends because of some pompous arses here.

For Petes sakes, some of you should grow up or join the Mensa Society and do your posting there- they must have a place for geniuses somewhere on the Internet.

Sorry if i offended any Mensa candidates. I do know some have left because they cant stand the place and i want it fixed.
YES, I can ask for people to be nicer to one another,and stop taking yourselves so seriously.

Lets keep our family- we seem to be all we have with like minds on the Internet.

dg


[edit on 6-8-2008 by dgtempe]

I just popped in from a six month hiatus.

I didn't think anyone would notice I was gone.

To you, dg!

glad you're still with us

I'm still here too! Though not as often as I used to be. haha

That's probably the part of the 'net I hate the most - nobody is real, nobody matters, nobody gives a damn. It really is an alter-ego thing people have going, I know damn well that no one would invoke some of the verbal actions I've read typed towards me, were it to my face in the real world. Likewise, for some reason, it seems the majority on the Internet seems to have the attitude that everyone else is an automatic enemy, that combative notions take priority. No one harldy smiles on the net, it's really sad.

It's what took me so long to come back here. But there are things going on in my life that would only be accepted in conversation here..... at least, that's what I thought ..... until I came back.

So here I am, and I'm glad you are here too DG !!!

Isn't that part of the beauty of the internet though?

I know I wouldn't say a lot of things i say to people online in real life. And I'm not even talking about bad things. Things such as simple advice on relationships, or chats about religion. I would never talk about or open up as much as I do online as I would to some random stranger on the street.

With that being said, I do understand what you're saying, but you have to weigh the pro's with the con's.

Peace

True, all very true.

But reading deeper I see that we're alluding to the emotional perception of a positive/negative reaction to a post.

Most people (and I say "people" because that's what we are, not the digital personas we embody, but the exact opposite) are someone different online. A being of their imagination who is freed to express themselves at levels they normally would not dare or care to in the real world.

But the reality is not that simple, and the opine consequences that are invoked in this digital and somewhat "unreal" manner, are met with a very real and emotional outcome.

More simply put, it is that for one's online psyche there is a digital barrier that provides safety of output through anonymity. When this output is returned, as either positive or negative input, it becomes a very personal experience, due to the lack of this "filter" on the return end.

I would imagine the fact that a person who was sending the input (essentially thier own output) which is now also utilizing this natural filtering mechanism, only hightens the level of emotional attachment to thier output. Creating a sort of "snow-ball effect", with widening gaps between anonymous output, and the emotional reception of input.

Does any of this make sense? I'd make a bar graph or pie chart or something but I'm too tired.

I drank a couple glasses of wine before I wrote this, so I hope my feelings aren't hurt too bad in the morning......Actually, I think this whole post may be capsilated in that last sentence!

Actually, you sound compasionate and i think you have a point there. I like you better when you drink. You're speaking my language


Seriously, I dont know if us, the ones "left behind" are the ones to blame or if those who leave are simply getting waayyy too attached.
We need a psychiatrist here

Any shrinks?

This thread is not intended to flame anyone, especially genuises. That's just something i said to try to express myself.

I have been on ATS quite a bit over the last few days after a bit of an absence and I have noticed that a lot of the members I used to enjoy reading or debating with do not post anywhere near as frequently as they used to.
There are probably several reasons for this. (Prolly best not to go into these here).
There also seems to be a large influx of new members.
This appears to have given a slightly different feel to ATS.

There is still quality here on ATS;

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It is unfortunate that it just seems to be surrounded by more dross than normal at present.

It is re-assuring that there are still enough quality members, like your good self, who are still here and continue to demand maintaining the standards on ATS that made it such a unique, enjoyable and informative site.


Edit: My spelling and grammar is still crap!

[edit on 6/8/08 by Freeborn]

I think people ARE on Vacation...

Only a couple times i noticed people were gone for a while, and everytime i would u2u them, they would show back up, and tell me of a WONDERFUL vaction they just had...


People are leaving... but...

I wouldn't worry about that, i stopped paying my membership to them years ago, bunch of uptight, pompous, muppets. As for people not being here, well i guess everyone has to move on sometimes, life gets in the way etc.

[edit on 6-8-2008 by ImaginaryReality1984]

well i'm ignored plenty and i feel ok, though i hadnt posted for 2 years before recently :p

reply to post by namehere

---

User: namehere
Registered: 29/8/03

Heh, in terms of ATS ..... yer one of the OLD PEOPLE !!!!

I'm always here... if i appear not to be, it is because i am lurking.

Anyways who's dgtempe?

[edit on 6/8/2008 by SilentShadow]

reply to post by Misfit

---

lol, i guess so, five years seems like a long time gone fast.. hope im clear there

Can I make up for missing ones being new..?

I'm glad you are all here.


I'm also glad we have such nice dedicated mods and staff who put in so much time to keep the order around here- they do an outstanding job and they they give so much of themselves!

My point is that rash of people suddenly posting and asking if they should be here??????
Maybe i'm being unfair and blaming us, when it really isnt. I just have doubts, and when i see those posts and the member then goes away, it bothers me-it just makes me wonder "WHY"

I realize i'm just one person with a view, but WHY CANT WE ALL GET ALONG????

And be civil?

I think its time for my grim Betty Davis avatar to go up. It reflects what i feel in my heart.

Come on, i know there are so many wonderful people here from all over the world, lets make the best of it, huh?

Sincerely,

OLGA

Agreed.



Well forgive me but it's the summer holidays here in the UK and everytime it comes around ATS seems to suffer an onslaught of amazing stories. This isn't a joke anymore, i've noticed a very clear correlation between the UK summer holidays and an increase in hoaxes.



Well lots of us make the best of it, i'm rather sad that anyone asking for evidence is called a close minded skeptic, and that's the polite version of what is often said here.

I hope to be a usefull contributer ...

love ,Joy,Hope and Peace to all from Adelaide ,South Australia

This is my first week here and maybe when others move on us newbies can fill the void.

calm and balance be yours ...

And I'm glad you are here dg. You are one of the good people, shining, bright and beautiful.

I'm not here as much cause I'm working my butt off just trying to keep it together.

Look for me in my new film. "My one and Only" with Renee Zellwiger and Kevin Bacon. Just an extra/standin payin my dues.