I've been to the opt-in forums and then opted out. Campaigning is a really good term for what happens there. A couple of folks posting video after video of the "non-mainstream" viewpoint. And what information "they" are keeping hidden from us. Except it isn't hidden. It's blasted all over 1000's of other forums, facebook, twitter, etc.
My feeling is this is a discussion forum. And in my experience trying to converse with folks about why their favorite videos might not actually be 100% solid gold truth only ends up in nonsense.
I've been down the rabbit hole. I spent years drilling into volumes of material on all kinds of conspiracy theories, alternate information, UFOs, cryptids, etc. I understand the lure of feeling like you know something that everyone else doesn't know and if they would only listen to what you are saying, then they too would know the truth.
Posting tens of videos a week on this forum that campaigns for one viewpoint or another is useless.
What would be useful? Post an article or perhaps a video. Then begin an actual discussion about the article or video. Be ready and willing to talk about sources--to evaluate the pieces truthfulness. Where does the truth of the information stem from? Whenever in the past I tried to have these types of discussions by choosing one specific video and really trying to deep dive into the sources and the truthfulness, it inevitably ends up a wash. There simply is no way to really evaluate the truthfulness of most of the crap that circulates on the internet. No matter what viewpoint it comes from. So posting video after video of some "alternative" viewpoint is basically counter-productive.
If you want to have a discussion I'm 100% all for it. If you want to have an actual conversation about something and really be willing to drill in and evaluate the nature of the information, then I will gladly participate. But conversing with people who have already made up their minds on something is beyond pointless. It becomes a cultish religion of information and frankly it's deadly boring. Of course the world is going to shit and of course corporate interests are driving this planet into absolute extinction. Of course there are controls on the ebb and flow of information and of course politicians are so fucking corrupt that it boggles the mind. So what. Offer some solutions for discussion or at the very least find some of the nuanced, intelligent writers out there who are writing from a place of understanding and consideration, not just prosthlytizing.
I wouldn't have an issue with banning all videos. There is so much information out there in other forms. Videos, in my opinion, generally focus on the lowest common denominator and more often than not already have a viewpoint that they are pushing, rather than looking at an issue and making an attempt to honestly come to a deeper understanding of these complicated subjects.
My feeling is this is a discussion forum. And in my experience trying to converse with folks about why their favorite videos might not actually be 100% solid gold truth only ends up in nonsense.
I've been down the rabbit hole. I spent years drilling into volumes of material on all kinds of conspiracy theories, alternate information, UFOs, cryptids, etc. I understand the lure of feeling like you know something that everyone else doesn't know and if they would only listen to what you are saying, then they too would know the truth.
Posting tens of videos a week on this forum that campaigns for one viewpoint or another is useless.
What would be useful? Post an article or perhaps a video. Then begin an actual discussion about the article or video. Be ready and willing to talk about sources--to evaluate the pieces truthfulness. Where does the truth of the information stem from? Whenever in the past I tried to have these types of discussions by choosing one specific video and really trying to deep dive into the sources and the truthfulness, it inevitably ends up a wash. There simply is no way to really evaluate the truthfulness of most of the crap that circulates on the internet. No matter what viewpoint it comes from. So posting video after video of some "alternative" viewpoint is basically counter-productive.
If you want to have a discussion I'm 100% all for it. If you want to have an actual conversation about something and really be willing to drill in and evaluate the nature of the information, then I will gladly participate. But conversing with people who have already made up their minds on something is beyond pointless. It becomes a cultish religion of information and frankly it's deadly boring. Of course the world is going to shit and of course corporate interests are driving this planet into absolute extinction. Of course there are controls on the ebb and flow of information and of course politicians are so fucking corrupt that it boggles the mind. So what. Offer some solutions for discussion or at the very least find some of the nuanced, intelligent writers out there who are writing from a place of understanding and consideration, not just prosthlytizing.
I wouldn't have an issue with banning all videos. There is so much information out there in other forms. Videos, in my opinion, generally focus on the lowest common denominator and more often than not already have a viewpoint that they are pushing, rather than looking at an issue and making an attempt to honestly come to a deeper understanding of these complicated subjects.
![[-]](https://psiencequest.net/forums/images/collapse.png)