Atheist Social Network?

[Aegon]

Social media bad, no exceptions.

[GenesisNemesis]

Social media bad, no exceptions.

One could argue forums are social media. 

[OakTree500]

This place is my Atheist hang out, so I'm good.

[SYZ]

I took a look. It's pretty buggy. It can't even send out a confirmation email so that you can use it.

I don't have time for it right now anyway, was just curious.

It accepted my throw-away email OK, but it's a pretty clunky, uninteresting effort that's
somewhat difficult to navigate quickly. I doubt I'll be bothering with it unless it lifts its
interest factor by 1,000% LOL.

[Cheerful Charlie]

Have any of you poked around in there? What a fucking mess.

No... I wasn't about to give my email out to yet another site.  Any specific things that are bad?

Protonmail.com is a good place to set up a throw away e-mail account.  No hassles setting it up,you don't need to supply a phone number etc.  No e-mail address needed though without that if you every forget your password, you are screwed.  Your mailbox is encrypted.  They operate out of Switzerland and are run by several CERN physicists.  Free for personal accounts.  I highly recommend protonmail.com.  Yodelling is optional.

[mordant]

Have any of you poked around in there? What a fucking mess.

No... I wasn't about to give my email out to yet another site.  Any specific things that are bad?

Protonmail.com is a good place to set up a throw away e-mail account.  No hassles setting it up,you don't need to supply a phone number etc.  No e-mail address needed though without that if you every forget your password, you are screwed.  Your mailbox is encrypted.  They operate out of Switzerland and are run by several CERN physicists.  Free for personal accounts.  I highly recommend protonmail.com.  Yodelling is optional.

I have a permanent personal email address at protonmail.com. It's excellent and super-secure. These days I run my junk / unimportant stuff through gmail, I have a personal domain for business stuff, and protonmail for real privacy.

[Cavebear]

Years ago I was on Dawkins' forum.  I couldn't keep up.  I'd make a post and go back 20 minutes later and there would be 4 pages of replies to read through.

The whole place was like having a job!

Been there, same experience. Sort of like this place on steroids demanding full-time attention and posting... I have a life.

[mordant]

I realized I still had the browser tab open on that site, apparently I'm in even though I never got the confirmation email which presumably had a link to verify my ownership of the account.

From what I can see, there's nowhere near a critical mass of visitors. Each discussion area has 1 to 4 members and they mostly aren't active.

I think it's trying to be all things to all people.

There are even posts in Russian, so a percentage of the posts, you can't even read.

[Bucky Ball]

Thoughts?

As with everything atheist, I lost interest. Some ten years ago, I would have had a look, but today, I got the feeling of already having seen it all. Heard all the arguments and counter arguments and they just keep repeating themselves over and over. It's pretty much the same as with the religious. There's only so much to say and read on the matter.

That's apatheism for ya.
As Vera said ... a club based on a common characteristic.
That would be one thing we all lack.
I'd rather join the "I don't have herpes" club.

[trdsf]

Meh. I'm better suited to an antisocial network.

[Cavebear]

Meh.  I'm better suited to an antisocial network.

I wonder if you mean more like a "non-social" network.. "Anti-social" seems a bit mean for you.

[GenesisNemesis]

Thoughts?

As with everything atheist, I lost interest. Some ten years ago, I would have had a look, but today, I got the feeling of already having seen it all. Heard all the arguments and counter arguments and they just keep repeating themselves over and over. It's pretty much the same as with the religious. There's only so much to say and read on the matter.

That's apatheism for ya.  
As Vera said ... a club based on a common characteristic.
That would be one thing we all lack.
I'd rather join the "I don't have herpes" club.  

You're already in a club based on that. It's an atheist discussion forum. 

[Dom]

Thoughts?

As with everything atheist, I lost interest. Some ten years ago, I would have had a look, but today, I got the feeling of already having seen it all. Heard all the arguments and counter arguments and they just keep repeating themselves over and over. It's pretty much the same as with the religious. There's only so much to say and read on the matter.

That's apatheism for ya.  
As Vera said ... a club based on a common characteristic.
That would be one thing we all lack.
I'd rather join the "I don't have herpes" club.  

We're all humans, so there is that...

[trdsf]

Meh.  I'm better suited to an antisocial network.

I wonder if you mean more like a "non-social" network..  "Anti-social" seems a bit mean for you.

You might be surprised.  I have quite a misanthropic streak that probably comes from the severe bullying of my school years (back when it was the victim's fault for "not standing up for himself" rather than the bully's fault for being a sociopathic little shit), though I make an effort to not let it control me.

But the actual truth is no, generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of.

[Cavebear]

Meh.  I'm better suited to an antisocial network.

I wonder if you mean more like a "non-social" network..  "Anti-social" seems a bit mean for you.

You might be surprised.  I have quite a misanthropic streak that probably comes from the severe bullying of my school years (back when it was the victim's fault for "not standing up for himself" rather than the bully's fault for being a sociopathic little shit), though I make an effort to not let it control me.

But the actual truth is no, generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of.

Similarities and differences...

I was a small kid in high school and there were a couple of bullies. Actually, the major school bullies even left me alone. I went through school rather quietly. They had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. But one minor bully noticed me. He didn't actually start a fight, but he had an underling and got HIM to bother me. Not much came of it. He surprised me with a punch in the gym locker and I hit him back a bit harder. End of "fight".

There was another though who really bothered me. I could never figure out why. He had a habitred (learned through experience I suppose) to only threaten me when I was wearing a backpack full of schoolbooks (harder to fight then). I declined all offers of fight, knowing that the moment I went to take off the backpack, he and his friend (they always need support) would attack. I didn't even know his name or why he was picking at me.

Then one night in a cold November high school football game, I was sitting in the stands with my younger brother. I hate coffee, but I got a cup just to keep my hands warm. Guess who popped up next to me? The bully. I told him to go away. He splashed the paper cup of coffee into my face. I'm physically peaceful, but I broke. And I don't recall much of it. But from what was described by others later, I screamed "I'm gonna kill you, kid" (really I didn't even know his name).

Apparently, I grabbed him and tossed him down several layers of the bleacher seats and was pounding his head on a lower one when they pulled us apart. I "came to" quickly. One of the people who separated us was a favorite teacher of mine and he was shocked at my action! I just broke down into tears at my actions.

On the other hand, I never saw that kid again. Either someone realized that he was a real problem or he just avoided me I'll never know. Sometimes things are arranged by adults and you never know exactly how. Or why. All I know is that no one in high school ever bothered me again (and some bullies could have, being bigger and a lot stronger than me).

I learned to "avoid" conflicts. I got better at it later so long it it was non-physical.

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ... We seem to be opposite in that regard. I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive. I come here for the more thoughtful types.

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences). I expect we will last a good long time "somehow". But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless. But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

[trdsf]

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ...  We seem to be opposite in that regard.  I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive.  I come here for the more thoughtful types.  

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences).  I expect we will last a good long time "somehow".  But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless.  But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

I like to think the ones I do like are above average.  

[Dom]

I wonder if you mean more like a "non-social" network..  "Anti-social" seems a bit mean for you.

You might be surprised.  I have quite a misanthropic streak that probably comes from the severe bullying of my school years (back when it was the victim's fault for "not standing up for himself" rather than the bully's fault for being a sociopathic little shit), though I make an effort to not let it control me.

But the actual truth is no, generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of.

Similarities and differences...

I was a small kid in high school and there were a couple of bullies.  Actually, the major school bullies even left me alone.  I went through school rather quietly.  They had bigger fish to fry, so to speak.  But one minor bully noticed me.  He didn't actually start a fight, but he had an underling and got HIM to bother me.  Not much came of it.  He surprised me with a punch in the gym locker and I hit him back a bit harder.  End of "fight".

There was another though who really bothered me.  I could never figure out why.  He had a habitred (learned through experience I suppose) to only threaten me when I was wearing a backpack full of schoolbooks (harder to fight then).  I declined all offers of fight, knowing that the moment I went to take off the backpack, he and his friend (they always need support) would attack. I didn't even know his name or why he was picking at me.

Then one night in a cold November high school football game, I was sitting in the stands with my younger brother.  I hate coffee, but I got a cup just to keep my hands warm.  Guess who popped up next to me?  The bully.  I told him to go away.  He splashed the paper cup of coffee into my face.  I'm physically peaceful, but I broke.   And I don't recall much of it.  But from what was described by others later, I screamed "I'm gonna kill you, kid"  (really I didn't even know his name).

Apparently, I grabbed him and tossed him down several layers of the bleacher seats and was pounding his head on a lower one when they pulled us apart.  I "came to" quickly. One of the people who separated us was a favorite teacher of mine and he was shocked at my action!  I just broke down into tears at my actions.

On the other hand, I never saw that kid again.  Either someone realized that he was a real problem or he just avoided me I'll never know.  Sometimes things are arranged by adults and you never know exactly how.  Or why.  All I know is that no one in high school ever bothered me again (and some bullies could have, being bigger and a lot stronger than me).

I learned to "avoid" conflicts.  I got better at it later so long it it was non-physical.  

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ...  We seem to be opposite in that regard.  I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive.  I come here for the more thoughtful types.  

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences).  I expect we will last a good long time "somehow".  But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless.  But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

Bullies. They taught me (unknowingly) how to take advantage of being female, and not in a sexual way, at a point in time when females were still barefoot in the kitchen. 

The thought of being beaten up by a girl during recess for all to see is not bearable to a bully.  I was a tall, strong little girl in grade school. When a group of bullies started harassing the girl next door (with whom I am still close friends today), I walked up to the top bully during recess and whispered in his ear that I would beat him up in front of all if he didn't stop bugging her. 

And it did stop. Right away. No other word was spoken. The power of being female in a male world - I learned that I had defenses against being fooled with and proceeded to establish myself in an all male business. 

Making lemonade out of lemons and all that.

[Free]

Apparently Aron Ra is promoting a new Atheist Social Network.



Personally I am reluctant to join (herding cats yada yada) but I've always liked the idea of an atheist social network, especially if it can be far more science-focused than, say Facebook. Thoughts?

Here is the link: https://atheist.social/

I'm not that hard up.

This forum is enough for me.

[jimhabegger]

Reading this discussion, I started thinking about what social networks might be good for in general. The only one that I've ever used much is Facebook, and my only reason for joining was because it was the only way I could find to keep in touch with my daughter. Then some of my most missed, long lost friends started turning up on it. A few years ago, I decided that it was a better place to practice and promote some of my ideas for online communities.

I remember years ago seeing my favorite forums drying up, and thinking that it was because most people in them were moving to social networks. I'm thinking that maybe the kind of socializing that happens is different between forums and social networks. Maybe we're more attracted to one kind than to another, or maybe it's the people in them, or maybe it's partly an age difference. I haven't thought much about all this before. I'm just thinking out loud.

Whatever a person's reasons might be for wanting to be in a social network, I'm wondering why a person would want it to be only for atheists, even if they identify as one. All I can think of is maybe to not have to see people disparaging atheists. Now I'm wondering if it's possible for a social network to be limited to one identity, and still have whatever people like in social networks, that they aren't finding in forums.

[Alan V]

I remember years ago seeing my favorite forums drying up, and thinking that it was because most people in them were moving to social networks. I'm thinking that maybe the kind of socializing that happens is different between forums and social networks. Maybe we're more attracted to one kind than to another, or maybe it's the people in them, or maybe it's partly an age difference. I haven't thought much about all this before. I'm just thinking out loud.

The way I see it, forums focus primarily on discussing certain topics and social networks focus on socializing, although both do both to whatever extent.  In an atheist forum like this one, for instance, we share particular philosophical, political, and scientific interests which are starting points for discussions and for digesting current events and new information.  We share information and insights since we are better together than separate.

I much prefer the focus of a forum like this one to what I have seen elsewhere, especially of social networks.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Whatever a person's reasons might be for wanting to be in a social network, I'm wondering why a person would want it to be only for atheists, even if they identify as one.

This forum is not "only" for atheists. Indeed, one of our admins is a theist, as are a few of our members.

If you want to see an exclusionary social-media approach, try posing as an atheist on a Christian forum. Most of them, in my experience, will ban you out-of-hand simply for being an atheist -- and many of them (such as this one) have a requirement for shared belief written into their rules.

[GenesisNemesis]

I remember years ago seeing my favorite forums drying up, and thinking that it was because most people in them were moving to social networks. I'm thinking that maybe the kind of socializing that happens is different between forums and social networks. Maybe we're more attracted to one kind than to another, or maybe it's the people in them, or maybe it's partly an age difference. I haven't thought much about all this before. I'm just thinking out loud.

The way I see it, forums focus primarily on discussing certain topics and social networks focus on socializing, although both do both to whatever extent.  In an atheist forum like this one, for instance, we share particular philosophical, political, and scientific interests which are starting points for discussions and for digesting current events and new information.  We share information and insights since we are better together than separate.

I much prefer the focus of a forum like this one to what I have seen elsewhere, especially of social networks.

It's also like, directly explained in the video I linked, why they felt the need to create an atheist social network.

[Cavebear]

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ...  We seem to be opposite in that regard.  I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive.  I come here for the more thoughtful types.  

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences).  I expect we will last a good long time "somehow".  But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless.  But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

I like to think the ones I do like are above average.  

Yes, the ones I like are above average in some way. Even most of the ones I don't like a lot here are. I hope they consider me the same way...

[Cavebear]

You might be surprised.  I have quite a misanthropic streak that probably comes from the severe bullying of my school years (back when it was the victim's fault for "not standing up for himself" rather than the bully's fault for being a sociopathic little shit), though I make an effort to not let it control me.

But the actual truth is no, generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of.

Similarities and differences...

I was a small kid in high school and there were a couple of bullies.  Actually, the major school bullies even left me alone.  I went through school rather quietly.  They had bigger fish to fry, so to speak.  But one minor bully noticed me.  He didn't actually start a fight, but he had an underling and got HIM to bother me.  Not much came of it.  He surprised me with a punch in the gym locker and I hit him back a bit harder.  End of "fight".

There was another though who really bothered me.  I could never figure out why.  He had a habitred (learned through experience I suppose) to only threaten me when I was wearing a backpack full of schoolbooks (harder to fight then).  I declined all offers of fight, knowing that the moment I went to take off the backpack, he and his friend (they always need support) would attack. I didn't even know his name or why he was picking at me.

Then one night in a cold November high school football game, I was sitting in the stands with my younger brother.  I hate coffee, but I got a cup just to keep my hands warm.  Guess who popped up next to me?  The bully.  I told him to go away.  He splashed the paper cup of coffee into my face.  I'm physically peaceful, but I broke.   And I don't recall much of it.  But from what was described by others later, I screamed "I'm gonna kill you, kid"  (really I didn't even know his name).

Apparently, I grabbed him and tossed him down several layers of the bleacher seats and was pounding his head on a lower one when they pulled us apart.  I "came to" quickly. One of the people who separated us was a favorite teacher of mine and he was shocked at my action!  I just broke down into tears at my actions.

On the other hand, I never saw that kid again.  Either someone realized that he was a real problem or he just avoided me I'll never know.  Sometimes things are arranged by adults and you never know exactly how.  Or why.  All I know is that no one in high school ever bothered me again (and some bullies could have, being bigger and a lot stronger than me).

I learned to "avoid" conflicts.  I got better at it later so long it it was non-physical.  

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ...  We seem to be opposite in that regard.  I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive.  I come here for the more thoughtful types.  

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences).  I expect we will last a good long time "somehow".  But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless.  But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

Bullies. They taught me (unknowingly) how to take advantage of being female, and not in a sexual way, at a point in time when females were still barefoot in the kitchen. 

The thought of being beaten up by a girl during recess for all to see is not bearable to a bully.  I was a tall, strong little girl in grade school. When a group of bullies started harassing the girl next door (with whom I am still close friends today), I walked up to the top bully during recess and whispered in his ear that I would beat him up in front of all if he didn't stop bugging her. 

And it did stop. Right away. No other word was spoken. The power of being female in a male world - I learned that I had defenses against being fooled with and proceeded to establish myself in an all male business. 

Making lemonade out of lemons and all that.

It was still strength though, wasn't it? Or determination if not. We all hear about standing up to bullies, and you did the right thing. It happens too seldomly, though.

Cheers to lemonade... Sometimes we have good moments.

[Dom]

Similarities and differences...

I was a small kid in high school and there were a couple of bullies.  Actually, the major school bullies even left me alone.  I went through school rather quietly.  They had bigger fish to fry, so to speak.  But one minor bully noticed me.  He didn't actually start a fight, but he had an underling and got HIM to bother me.  Not much came of it.  He surprised me with a punch in the gym locker and I hit him back a bit harder.  End of "fight".

There was another though who really bothered me.  I could never figure out why.  He had a habitred (learned through experience I suppose) to only threaten me when I was wearing a backpack full of schoolbooks (harder to fight then).  I declined all offers of fight, knowing that the moment I went to take off the backpack, he and his friend (they always need support) would attack. I didn't even know his name or why he was picking at me.

Then one night in a cold November high school football game, I was sitting in the stands with my younger brother.  I hate coffee, but I got a cup just to keep my hands warm.  Guess who popped up next to me?  The bully.  I told him to go away.  He splashed the paper cup of coffee into my face.  I'm physically peaceful, but I broke.   And I don't recall much of it.  But from what was described by others later, I screamed "I'm gonna kill you, kid"  (really I didn't even know his name).

Apparently, I grabbed him and tossed him down several layers of the bleacher seats and was pounding his head on a lower one when they pulled us apart.  I "came to" quickly. One of the people who separated us was a favorite teacher of mine and he was shocked at my action!  I just broke down into tears at my actions.

On the other hand, I never saw that kid again.  Either someone realized that he was a real problem or he just avoided me I'll never know.  Sometimes things are arranged by adults and you never know exactly how.  Or why.  All I know is that no one in high school ever bothered me again (and some bullies could have, being bigger and a lot stronger than me).

I learned to "avoid" conflicts.  I got better at it later so long it it was non-physical.  

Now as to "generally speaking I really don't like people much -- I like individuals, but as a group humans are disappointing compared to what they're capable of" ...  We seem to be opposite in that regard.  I have great hope for humanity in general, but I don't like most individual ones very much.

I keep in mind that 1/2 of individual humans are dumber than average, and that "average" is not especially impressive.  I come here for the more thoughtful types.  

I expect that "humanity" will continue for a long time (in spite of bombs and differences).  I expect we will last a good long time "somehow".  But damn sometimes I sure think 90% of us are useless.  But I sure like "humanity" more than "individuals"...

Bullies. They taught me (unknowingly) how to take advantage of being female, and not in a sexual way, at a point in time when females were still barefoot in the kitchen. 

The thought of being beaten up by a girl during recess for all to see is not bearable to a bully.  I was a tall, strong little girl in grade school. When a group of bullies started harassing the girl next door (with whom I am still close friends today), I walked up to the top bully during recess and whispered in his ear that I would beat him up in front of all if he didn't stop bugging her. 

And it did stop. Right away. No other word was spoken. The power of being female in a male world - I learned that I had defenses against being fooled with and proceeded to establish myself in an all male business. 

Making lemonade out of lemons and all that.

It was still strength though, wasn't it?  Or determination if not.  We all hear about standing up to bullies, and you did the right thing.  It happens too seldomly, though.  

Cheers to lemonade...  Sometimes we have good moments.

It was about strength - but not really physical strength. I don't know if  I could have actually beaten him, I doubt it. It was about taking advantage of weakness though - again, not physical. 

Back in the day, women were the weaker sex, period. For a boy with budding hormones, a bully who relied on others being fearful of him, the thought of being publicly bested by a little girl was terrifying. 

This was a very long time ago, and I don't remember my thought process. I think I wanted to smack him for bugging my friend, but didn't think I could get away with it. Somehow I must have figured the thought of it alone was enough, and it was.

It taught me that brain could overcome brawn. and that being underestimated could be an advantage.