Noel and I are starting a group that, for reasons which should become apparent, will be largely separate from the public forums. Membership is welcome to all, but please note that we have a very specific goal with this group, and you shouldn't join it if you don't share that goal. Mission Statement: [spoiler] Too often in the discussion of fringe topics, the discussion loses value by one of two mechanisms. First, within public circles, the discussion may be silenced altogether by it being labeled as conspiracy theory, or paranoia. Whether or not the discussion is well-informed is irrelevant; there are simply some topics that are too stigmatized to be discussed with the general public. Second, within the groups that base themselves on fringe topics, fear and sensationalism is often used as a substitute for adequate data. Everything then becomes indicative of everything else, and confirmation bias leads to such groups developing a "boy who cried wolf" reputation, as well as crippling paranoia about damn near everything. Neither of these mindsets are conducive to learning the true nature of these subjects, and both are things I want to avoid with this group. The goal of this group is not to uncover a conspiracy, nor is it to silence conspiracy theories. The goal is to create an evidence-driven environment in which these topics can be discussed without stigmas attached. It's to have a place where no one is called a "sheep" or a "conspiratard," a place where no one is allowed to justify their claim with "you just don't see the big picture man" or "you're just paranoid." We will attempt to run this group in a matter so that data are never forced to fit a political, religious, or philosophical narrative. I am ready to have my intuition challenged, and you probably shouldn't join if you're not. The means by which we'll accomplish this are illustrated in the Format Thread. I hope this group becomes a great filter for information regarding these topics, but it's up to you to make that happen. Thanks for reading this, -Silent [/spoiler] [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Detail?groupId=61987]Quiet Concern[/url].