It's interesting how subs like this begin to go downhill and more regulated with every subscriber gained. When it was at 60,000 subscribers r/conspiracy was relevant. Now at 90,000 you have to know there are at least a few people paid by government agencies to disrupt our open forum. I have even heard of moderators being paid to regulate content. Not here but anything is possible.

The content here has definitely changed a lot in the past 6 months or so - anything related to Israel, Zionism, war on terror, Iraq, etc. gets downvoted pretty quickly.

I'm going to test this immediately.

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Well, two upvotes and two downvotes within two hours.

I kinda want to do this over a few days just to see what happens.

Keep us updated bro. Also, try to compare how well these posts do on weekends compared to weekdays (esp. on Saturday). Personally, I think Israel/Middle-East posts seem to avoid the downvote brigade when posted on weekends.

When it was at 60,000 subscribers r/conspiracy was relevant.

Uhh, says what? I made this account ~35k subscribers, and sans all the memes, it was just like it is now, just with different users.

It was actually worse with trolls because a few idiots from /r/conspiratard could drastically change the threads much easier.

This subreddit has been going downhill since i've been here.

Then it's a good thing you're leaving.

I've gone back through your posts and comments. You're not getting dowvoted for your opinions. You're getting downvoted for your rude and condescending manner.

It's more transcending than anything. Peace.

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Im more upset that the general populous wants to discuss topics that have been proven false. That is all I have been trying to say all day. It just seems that no one seems to care that these topics are false. Thats frustrating. Especially, when you get massively downvoted for trying to point this out

I know you are gone already, but perhaps you are checking this still.. You are leaving because people insist the world is going to end 12-21-12? Am I correct on this? Just laugh at their idiocy and move on.. There are way more interesting things on this subreddit than people who believe that nonsense.

Not only is he leaving because of that, but he's leaving because of that despite that his thread was full of people who were telling him that almost no one here even believes the 2012 shit.

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Because circlejerk.

It seems like there's a significant amount of "crazy conspiracies" on the front page as of late, or stories that are clearly just looking for a conspiracy when there isn't.

Right now we've got the whistle-blowers who has been missing for 8 hours (he's already been found, alive); the story about FEMA camps being set up outside New York, as if its some conspiracy that a disaster-response agency would respond to a natural disaster; a video about Rumsfeld being a lizard (possibly a joke, Poe's Law is a bitch); a post about a book that's coming out detailing one man's coma-induced visions of a multiverse; an Indianapolis explosion that's received no media coverage, despite actually receiving ridiculous media coverage...

There are genuine conspiracies out there, with good evidence behind them. Theories worth discussing. But the reason conspiracy theorists aren't taken seriously is due to a fallacy of generalization. You could present the most well-designed argument for a 9/11 cover-up theory, but people may still ask if you brought your tin-foil hat with you. And suddenly nothing you say matters, and the people behind the cover-up win.

Its a very fine line to tread. On the one hand, associating your community with any of the legitimately crazy theories means instant decreditation for the theories which have evidence. But, on the other hand, every theory in any field comes about because someone is asking questions; ignoring the crazies could mean that we'd miss something legitimate that they put forward.

This is relevant to the topic at hand because as the population of this subreddit grows, we gain people at either end of the spectrum. We gain people who are here because they genuinely believe Rumsfeld is a lizard, and they'll make the community look terrible by talking about it. We gain government agents who are just browsing as part of their job; maybe they upvote the crazies to discredit legitimate discussion. We gain all manor of people, and this furthers the fallacy of generalization.

And just as these last elections have shown; when communities get larger, the middle-ground is the first segment to disappear. The middle-ground is where all the best discussion happens, because its where people of conflicting opinions can find something similar to talk about and agree upon. The people there learn to walk that fine line, and when they're gone then it leaves a community that isn't worth participating in.

It's true, there is to much disinfo being upvoted.

Exactly. the more that is upvoted or even posted, the more it is known.

Why waste time with subjects that are proven false?

Just because we don't have time to interact with every post, doesn't mean your not wanted here, or that we feel your posts are unimportant. There are so many posts here it's becoming difficult to find the useful information, if you oppose all the bogus, PLEASE do not leave this sub.

People just downvote you instead of trying to converse and have intellectual convos.

Agree. Consider that at least 50% of the people posting are being compensated to forward or retard certain ideas.

I am out of here.

I deleted my main and started using accounts that I delete now and then. It is not worth it to pretend at "community" and "identity" here because the majority of posters are shills or conspiratard trolls.

lesson learned. Sucks to find out you can't find real community anymore

Also, this subreddit got really really lame after the election. Anyone notice that?

..this subreddit got really lame before the election.

FTFY

I am tired of all the politiclly motivated bullshit that gets posted here. Both canidates were shit and thanks to the media a 3rd party has no chance.

Scouring through this thread, OP seems like a fucking asshole who thinks he knows what's going on but is really just one of the many in the group labeled "lost".

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Invasion of the bots.

you are right, this place has been a landslide over the last 6 months.

This subreddit has been going downhill since i've been here. Yesterday, I saw people defending nibiru and other bogus info.

Same Experience but i don't mind people talking about subject's like that.

(doesen't matter if its true or not pls don't go off-topic)

Seriously, a few months ago, the front page was always full of interesting, thought provoking articles. Along with videos that were based on real evidence. Now, we have info wars #1 trending.

funny i did submit this article lol.

even if you don't agree with alex jones, infowars it is a legit source for news and is not biased between left and right like the Mainstream Media.

Also its only one article.

We should keep a neutral perspective to any topic.

Hahaha, that was unexpected.

I don't know why I despise Alex jones so much. But just hearing his voice or seeing his face. I wanna punch it. It seems like he's doing it for the wrong reasons and he's just a bad model. His info is okay, but he is the messenger. And he's one I wanna shoot.

If you don't like him thats okay there are many other sources for information.

Overall he did a great job awaking millions of people and he really is trying to make the "alternative Media" the "Mainstream Media".

He did take action and did build Infowars from ground up alone for this he gets my respect.

I know you already deleted and dipset but; a few months ago, it looked just like it does now, but with less memes.

Say a witty joke on r/aww for upvotes, then come back here.

Can't we start a private thread, which is invite only, to harbor the legitimate ideas and theories many of us would like to discuss? I wish there was a way to start a thread that you needed to apply to be apart of.

Scumbag redditor

Complains about being attacked for having a different opinion

Attacks peoples differing opinions

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Okay.......................

Didn't know this was /r/biggestassholecontest

I was seriously hoping that was a real subreddit.

At this point in Reddit, I kind of just assumed it was and didn't click it because I though it would be a contest about who has the biggest asshole, and it terrified me.

I wanted to compete. :(

His would win "Most Cavernous" if it were...

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dieselphiend is the founder and moderator of that subreddit

Yet ANother thread about the goings on in the sub. Imagine that...

You should just read through the thread he's referencing though =/

wouldn't happen if everyone wasn't so happy with their downvote button. I mean seriously, there's a time for that. It's not when you dont understand their argument

You're preaching to the choir, man.

New subreddit?

Oh boy! Here comes the part where you tell me r/Selfconspiracy is the place to go...

It was a question...geeez. Assumption city

You'll forgive me if that wasn't what you were going to say.

Go ahead.....

I was asking you a question. do you know how to have a conversation anymore?

What is your question? "New subreddit?" I don't know the answer to that question. It's a fragmented thought and sentence.

So you are saying you were not going to point me to r/Selfconspiracy?

Sorry didn't know I have spell out every single, exact, tiny detail.

Do you know of a different subreddit that would be better to visit? Or is there a new subreddit that we should start where you can provide only facts based on conspiracies. Meaning, when we know a conspiracy is Bull, we no longer discuss that one and move onto more important ones

Sorry didn't know I have spell out every single, exact, tiny detail.

When it's in written form and I don't have tone a demeanor to go on, yes, you must state what you mean. No one is going to "get it", Cochise.

And, unfortunately no, I do not know of a different subreddit that does the things you speak of. Do you know of one?

I wouldn't have asked if I did haha. Lets make one

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I try to do this for myself here /r/thebigconspiracy, your welcome to post if you follow [subject] rules.

Any idea on where people can discuss conspiracies without being attacked? I'd be interested in rational discussion of conspiracy theories with people that can handle complex arguments and understand how to support a point with evidence.

Well there isn't like a major paranormal sub or anything like that. But the problem is that every sub-reddit is a circlejerk. You don't go there unless you want to be apart of that sub. So if you go against any of the 'status quo' parts of any sub, you'll be down voted as such.

There is no forum that allows for free flowing, thought provoking discussion, because the second there's a debate, people just start throwing up votes and down votes around and bury it - so intelligent discussion is impossible.

Forget the votes. I don't care about those numbers (see my negative karma on the post you responded to).

I'd like a place where people can actually use rhetoric to create arguments that made sense. And when they saw something they disagreed with, they would use rhetoric to create an argument that makes sense.

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I concur

Good question.

When should a conspiracy be killed after being disproved with fact? Never? How will you progress?

I don't mind the people posting links to stuff they haven't yet realized is discounted, as frustrating as it might be. It's really their response when you provide them with information that discounts their theory that bothers me.

Thats just sad. Fact is fact. The less you circulate it, the less it's known.

The more you circulate disinformation, the more that is known. It's basic reasoning.

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I think they came to realization i have and packed their bags

I was asking you a question. do you know how to have a conversation anymore?

What is your question? "New subreddit?" I don't know the answer to that question. It's a fragmented thought and sentence.

So you are saying you were not going to point me to r/Selfconspiracy?