how i got here...

[MaskedAvatar]

There are certainly "places" that are repositories of 100% unmitigated truth, but none of them are able to operate within the auspices of the government, and none of them are able to operate with a commercial agenda.

BTW, does anyone ever recall seeing the pilot episode for Upright Citizens Brigade, "Bucket of truth"? An instant classic.

 

[Third_Density_Resident]

I, too, am in agreement with Appollynon. To me, that was the first thing that stood out with Iconclast -- that he seems to have plenty of time to watch sports on television, but then claims to have no time for research. I guess for some people the "truth movement" is no more than a hobby on a level of importance equal to (if not less than) a game of baseball.

 

[Adaryn]

In particular the threats and attacks faced by WING TV and Lisa Guilliani, is helping me (and I hope others), who have little or no understanding of COINTLEPRO activities to see how the system works by giving us examples of how and who are perpetrating such attacks and pointing out the blatant lies and disinformation.

Yes, it's very useful, especially for someone (me) who 4 months ago had never heard about or even read the word 'Cointelpro' before, and didn't know who were these guys (Jeff Rense, Alex Jones and co). I admit I'm quite ignorant of these subjects. I knew just like most pple that 9/11 was a conspiracy but in France we don't have many journalists who investigate that issue seriously - we had Thierry Meyssan but he was silenced - Cointelpro tactic : he was completely ridiculed, vilified and called a loonie by the whole mainstream media.

Well, lots of stuff to read and learn and little time left (6 years at the best?)

 

[ark]

Well, lots of stuff to read and learn and little time left (6 years at the best?)

What about "eternity?"

 

[Iconoclast]

i didn't realize that one has to spend every waking moment researching in order to be entitled to an opinion here.
i spend about 2-3 hours a day 'reading up'.
add to that 9 hours at the office and about 7 hours of sleep and that leaves about 5-6 hours for spare-time/household chores/'life'/etc.

and you'll be shocked to know, i have other time-wasting habits besides baseball, too! like sitting outside in the sun or taking long walks.. meeting with friends or photographing architecture!


i admire the dedication some people have to the cause but i'm afraid that's not quite me.
i assumed this forum was for exchanging opinions but i didn't realize there was a required body of information everybody has to agree upon.
if that's the case please tell me so and i won't continue to waste your (research)time. no hard feelings.

 

[ark]

i didn't realize that one has to spend every waking moment researching in order to be entitled to an opinion here.

This forum is not for expressing opinions, but for an intelligent discussion. There is an essential difference between the two.

...and you'll be shocked to know, i have other time-wasting habits besides baseball

We are not shocked. Most people do it.

... too! like sitting outside in the sun or taking long walks.. meeting with friends or photographing architecture!

Why do you call it wasted time. Sitting outside in the sun, taking long walks, meeting with friends and taking fotographs may provide you with impressions that are needed and helpful.

i admire the dedication some people have to the cause but i'm afraid that's not quite me.

Dedication is not required here.

i assumed this forum was for exchanging opinions

Let me say it again: this forum is not about exchanging opinions. There are other forums that are devoted just to that. If you just want to "exchange opinions" - find a different forum. This forum is for an intelligent discussion.

Exchanging of opinions may well go like this:

- In MY opinion YOU are wrong.
- I disagree, in MY opinion I am right, and YOU are wrong.

What good does such an exchange?

but i didn't realize there was a required body of information everybody has to agree upon.

If everybody has to agree on something - this not a discussion. There is no need to agree. What is needed for an intelligent discussion is
to know something, or to ask for help in learning something, about the subject you are rsincerely interested in.

if that's the case please tell me so and i won't continue to waste your (research)time. no hard feelings.

It is up to you to decide. We are not going to tell you what tod do.

 

[j0da]

Every once in a while a newbie comes forth. He spotted that Laura, Ark and forum moderators are doing something wrong and he wants to share his observation immediately! Now...one had better have a GOOD ARGUMENTATION backing one's opinion, argumentation containing some data, evidence, or at least sound theory laid in orderly fashion. Such an approach is expected from everyone, but new forum members are especially prone to having their feet put in the fire upon failure to provide such argumentation.

There is nothing wrong with watching baseball per se, but you have failed to back your opinion in expected fashion, Iconoclast, and that's why you got burned a bit.

 

[ark]

There is nothing wrong with watching baseball per se, but you have failed to back your opinion in expected fashion, Iconoclast, and that's why you got burned a bit.

We call it a "scratch" rather than a "burn".

 

[Iconoclast]

This forum is not for expressing opinions, but for an intelligent discussion. There is an essential difference between the two.

i understand that. i have no intention on forcing my opinions on anyone, i despise that.

so if i would say 'baseball is fascinating and soccer is boring' it is my 'opinion' but that doesn't mean i can't accept someone elses opionion who might be the opposite.

i would define 'opinion' as a point of view that one can not back up with scientific facts. does that make sense?

and all of us who are interested in the true nature of reality will probably agree that actual FACTS are something that are very hard to come by.
i would go as far and say that there is not a single piece of information that i am 100% certain is FACT. not even my own existence.
so all we are left with are 'opinions' and 'views'.

Why do you call it wasted time. Sitting outside in the sun, taking long walks, meeting with friends and taking fotographs may provide you with impressions that are needed and helpful.

i know, i was being sarkastic. ;)


regarding my participation in this forum:
i guess what i want to find out is weather it is ok to post an opinion like (for example) 'i think Cymatics is an interesting subject, what do you guys think about it?' without me having an academic understanding of the subject or done years of research. or will i be chided for not being able to back up my interest with cold hard facts?

what i would like to get out of being on this forum is this:
since the amount of knowledge and research the people here is much higher than anywhere else i've been so far, i'd like to get input about subjects, books, websites and authors that i've read in the past or consider reading in the future. (and provide my input where it might be of value to someone)

example: after watching the (IMHO) extremely fascinating video lecture 'The Pharmacratic Inquisition' i would be really interested in reading John Allegro's 'The Sacred Mushroom And The Cross'. but the book is out of print and obtaining a copy is somewhat expensive. i would value input from people here who have an opinion about the author/the book. (the final decision weather to read it or not will be mine of course ;) )

in fact there is a whole bunch of subjects i'd like to get such feedback on, if that is acceptable to the community here.


the amount of information (good and bad) out there is so humongous that without some sort of guide it is quite impossible to find a way through.
i had hoped that a community like this could provide such guidance.

 

[j0da]

Regarding your example - 'The Pharmacratic Inquisition' movie. As far as I remember two guys spend about two hours elaborating on "How all this religious stuff is really about amanita muscaria mushroom" :D It is entartaining and even may be interesting, but the logic behind this particular line of thought is in many places faulty. Why would you want to spend time on reading material probably based of doubtful premises, while you have so much information here, which when digested fully, will enable you to spot inconsistencies instantly and brush aside useless material BEFORE you invest much of your valuable time in familarising yourself with it.

Those threads which you feel are too long to read very often provide invaluable tools for making your own mind and shorten your search for truth considerably. You have great opportunity to learn how to find answers by yourself.
Whit this ability gained, you will discover that you have much more time at your disposal than you thought.