Another ATS Refugee

[RadioKnecht]

Hello everyone.

As many of us here, I am an ATS refugee. I used to be a more or less frequent poster back there, right until 2017 when the first Trump administration started. The site then became too political and partisan for my taste. The whole "Q" debacle, the increasing posts becoming decidedly and stridently anti-immigrant (borderlining on racist) and the utter "you're with us or against us" tone is where I tuned out. The site just became too politically toxic, to the detriment of the conspirational and scientific undertone that first attracted me back in 2009.

I then became a more or less frequent lurker, checking now and then the Language of Vampyr thread, the UFO, Predictions and Metaphysical forums mostly, with a pepper of Covid and anti-covid vaccines threads occasionally.

Anyway, I was lost for words when ATS shut down and witness so much excelent material lost. I have been lurking this new site for a year or so, and I find it closer to what brought me originally to ATS, so I decided to give it a go once again and create a new profile.

It is great to reconnect with many of you and I wholeheartedly hope that this new site stays as far from toxic politics as possible, since that is such a huge turn off (at least for me).

See you around!

[xpert11]

As many of us here, I am an ATS refugee. I used to be a more or less frequent poster back there, right until 2017 when the first Trump administration started. The site then became too political and partisan for my taste. The whole "Q" debacle, the increasing posts becoming decidedly and stridently anti-immigrant (borderlining on racist) and the utter "you're with us or against us" tone is where I tuned out. The site just became too politically toxic, to the detriment of the conspirational and scientific undertone that first attracted me back in 2009.

Nice to have you around the tracks. I enjoyed political debate and dicussions on ATS until they soured from 2017 onwards.

[ElitePlebeian]

Welcome. Are you dutch by any chance? Knecht? 

​​​​​​I disagree with the borderline racist. I think that word gets used way too lightly nowadays. 

Anyway looking forward to your contributions here. I think content I disagree with is often more interesting so I hope you remember that if you feel discouraged to post because people might not agree.

[RadioKnecht]

Welcome. Are you dutch by any chance? Knecht? 

​​​​​​I disagree with the borderline racist. I think that word gets used way too lightly nowadays. 

Anyway looking forward to your contributions here. I think content I disagree with is often more interesting so I hope you remember that if you feel discouraged to post because people might not agree.

Thank you so much for your words and welcoming!

No, I'm not dutch, I am from high-in-the-hills Mexico City. Joseph Knecht is a character in Herman Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, that's where the name comes from.

All those years ago, I truly felt a nasty downturn in the tone of conversation at ATS. The political threads took over and they became super toxic. As an outsider to (but really interested in) American politics, reading all the mud, the hiper partisanship, the downvoting and plain insult of anyone diagreeing with Trump, regardless of the reasons, really put me off and chased me away. I became just a lurker, as I really didn't feel the need (nor have the energy) to engage with many new people that joined when the Q thing popped up.

All the strident anti immigrant retoric, the "brown people are taking are jeeeerbs" arguments repeated ad nauseam there simply drove me away. There were so many threads where I read things to that effect that were infuriating.

I am all for debating arguments, facts and disagreeing when you can't reach a common middle ground, but we can still move on, be cordial and engage on a different topic. When the hiper MAGA crowd took over and the site became mostly a Q lair, to the detriment of true, old fashioned conspiracies and stories, I just couldn't cope anymore and stopped visiting. 

A few years later, when Biden took over I did notice a change in the tone and atmosphere of the site and I started lurking again. But never fully rejoin. Then I found it here and the place seems amazing, admins engaged, moderators more relaxed and the people more decent in general, so I guess I will be staying over here.

Take care and thanks again for writing!!

[KKLoco]

Interesting how you say politics were the problem with ATS. Then, you sneak in your continuous political jabs at the opposing party. Just couldn’t help yourself could you?

[quintessentone]

Interesting how you say politics were the problem with ATS. Then, you sneak in your continuous political jabs at the opposing party. Just couldn’t help yourself could you?

What I read from RadioKnect's post was not simply politics, rather toxic and nasty exchanges within the political subject matter. Some people's political jabs are others political truth telling. See how that works?

[Kaiju666]

I am an undocumented migrant from ATS. I will visit ATS and here, as long ATS is accessible.

[Cymru]

Hello everyone.

As many of us here, I am an ATS refugee. I used to be a more or less frequent poster back there, right until 2017 when the first Trump administration started. The site then became too political and partisan for my taste. The whole "Q" debacle, the increasing posts becoming decidedly and stridently anti-immigrant (borderlining on racist) and the utter "you're with us or against us" tone is where I tuned out. The site just became too politically toxic, to the detriment of the conspirational and scientific undertone that first attracted me back in 2009.

I then became a more or less frequent lurker, checking now and then the Language of Vampyr thread, the UFO, Predictions and Metaphysical forums mostly, with a pepper of Covid and anti-covid vaccines threads occasionally.

Anyway, I was lost for words when ATS shut down and witness so much excelent material lost. I have been lurking this new site for a year or so, and I find it closer to what brought me originally to ATS, so I decided to give it a go once again and create a new profile.

It is great to reconnect with many of you and I wholeheartedly hope that this new site stays as far from toxic politics as possible, since that is such a huge turn off (at least for me).

See you around!

Just jumped ship. Was hoping ATS might spring back in to life but it is what it is I guess. :(

[Macenroe82]

There ya are brother!
Long time no talk.
Hope you been doing great !
Hit up my pm when ever you get a chance

[ElitePlebeian]

Thank you so much for your words and welcoming!

No, I'm not dutch, I am from high-in-the-hills Mexico City. Joseph Knecht is a character in Herman Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, that's where the name comes from.

All those years ago, I truly felt a nasty downturn in the tone of conversation at ATS. The political threads took over and they became super toxic. As an outsider to (but really interested in) American politics, reading all the mud, the hiper partisanship, the downvoting and plain insult of anyone diagreeing with Trump, regardless of the reasons, really put me off and chased me away. I became just a lurker, as I really didn't feel the need (nor have the energy) to engage with many new people that joined when the Q thing popped up.

All the strident anti immigrant retoric, the "brown people are taking are jeeeerbs" arguments repeated ad nauseam there simply drove me away. There were so many threads where I read things to that effect that were infuriating.

I am all for debating arguments, facts and disagreeing when you can't reach a common middle ground, but we can still move on, be cordial and engage on a different topic. When the hiper MAGA crowd took over and the site became mostly a Q lair, to the detriment of true, old fashioned conspiracies and stories, I just couldn't cope anymore and stopped visiting. 

A few years later, when Biden took over I did notice a change in the tone and atmosphere of the site and I started lurking again. But never fully rejoin. Then I found it here and the place seems amazing, admins engaged, moderators more relaxed and the people more decent in general, so I guess I will be staying over here.

Take care and thanks again for writing!!

I understand, I didnt mind the increased politics but it was a pitty that there was a decrease in conspiracy theories. I think on ATS both sides could be quite toxic. Definitely not one side over the other. Take care man.