And Now For Something Different: Why Do You Care?

[Kamal965]

I'll keep this short and sweet:

 

When someone on these forums down-votes you, argues with you, trolls you, or anything of the like, why do you care? If you know you're right and/or justified in what you're saying/doing, then why do you care about their comments?

 

Personally, I -- usually -- don't bother dignifying them with a response. You could say it's arrogance, that I believe I'm better than them and that . Unfortunately, I'd be hard pressed to disagree. Pride is such a fickle thing.

[Xoxile]

Discussion helps resolve problems. You can't have a discussion if you ignore opposing ideas.

[TraumaHunter]

Downvote system has to go.  I've been saying it since day 1 in hopes that one day DE will hear my plea.

[Fenrisulfr]

I tend to only reply to people whose behaviour is likely to cause further grief to others. Don't really give a damn whether they annoy me personally, but if you intend to completely destroy a healthy discussion for all participants, I'm gonna smack you into ground with arguements and logic.

[smithf]

actually downvote can be useful to signify agreement vs disagreement, but it won't be good if it get lumped together with the upvotes as the final "difference" may not be indicative of the overall agreement vs disagreement.

Perhaps separating the downvotes and upvotes will help?

e.g. an overall -10 vote may make people think that most people disagree, but it could actually be something like 510 downvotes vs 500 upvotes, which actually means it is closer to a tie.

While I do agree that downvotes can cause negative mood, I think we need a way to indicate disagreement as well (which a upvote-only system will not satisfy). Thus, revamping the system (possibly separating the down and upvotes) may make the system serve its original goal better. (systems will regularly iterate through the abuse-improve cycle)

As for those posts which gets a lot of downvotes, I don't really see anything wrong or need for the owner of the vote to feel negative. It just shows that more people who bothered to read and comment disagreed. It may not be the majority(who may be neutral actually) and even majority is not necessarily == right/correct/appropriate. If you are sure of yourself like OP claimed, then there should be no lasting problem. next time something came up, just shoot new posts instead of holding back due to possible down votes. There may be people who will agree/benefit from it no matter what the "vote" shows.

[Cinderain]

actually downvote can be useful to signify agreement vs disagreement

 

Too bad that's never the case. Ever.

[Ashmomo]

[OriKlein]

Downvote system has to go.  I've been saying it since day 1 in hopes that one day DE will hear my plea.

 

I beg to differ.

 

What is required is more proper regulation, not the withdrawal of community/forum features.

 

You do not fight criticism, ignorance, hate and insults with censorship, you fight them with more free speech.

 

 

Best Regards,

[fatalis92]

Says that he doesnt care - makes a thread about this.
Ok.

[TraumaHunter]

I beg to differ.

 

What is required is more proper regulation, not the withdrawal of community/forum features.

 

You do not fight criticism, ignorance, hate and insults with censorship, you fight them with more free speech.

 

 

Best Regards,

upvote only system is what i have pressed for.

[OriKlein]

upvote only system is what i have pressed for.

 

Not quite effective and is prone to abuse all the same.

 

Regulation is still required.

 

 

Best Regards,

[Mak_Gohae]

The definition of the word forum is a place where people come to talk.....

So why would you come to an internet forum if not to talk?

 

If you dont want to talk personally that's fine, but to critique others for wanting to talk.

[Cinderain]

I care because I have feelings.

 

I care, damnit. I care about YOU.

Edited May 6, 2013 by FatalX7

[Soulie]

Yeah, white the voting system seems fine on paper, it becomes nothing more than the circle-jerkers and haters way to express themselves.

 

People will upvote something they think is funny, or they'll downvote someone simply because they don't like them.

 

I really hope devs don't completely disregard suggestions and ideas that get downvotes.  Sometimes I think people have good idea, but aren't very good at conveying them via text.

[Cinderain]

People will upvote something they think is funny, or they'll downvote someone simply because they don't like them.

 

I clicked the empty space between them because I don't know if I like you or hate you.

[OriKlein]

I really hope devs don't completely disregard suggestions and ideas that get downvotes.  Sometimes I think people have good idea, but aren't very good at conveying them via text.

 

Given that they are professionals, I believe they focus much more on reading the arguments and counter-arguments while much less on the vote count.

 

 

Best Regards,

[BramBlackmon]

And why? Who the f**** cares if anyone i never know on the internet, give me a downvote???

 

For the sake of prideful human nature.

 

When we're on the internet, we lose all trappings of our real selves, there's nothing for anyone to attack, we are truly anonymous.

 

You would think with such freedom we would focus on freeing ourselves from the negative aspects of the human experience. but we insist on dragging our ego's into the mix. it gives other people something to wound. a way of hurting us. and that's the groundwork for the rest of those nasty negative human traits to wriggle their way in and make the whole experience bloody horrible for everyone involved.

 

Because that earlier freedom comes with a downside. With nothing of ourselves truly vulnerable  we have nothing to lose. We can be much more cruel towards one another than we ever could in real life.

 

Thus why people are insanely angry at the little red numbers beneath their posts.

[Cinderain]

Putting your fingers on a keyboard doesn't eradicate your emotions and turn off your brain. You're a human regardless of what's sitting in front of you while you're sitting on your &#!.

[Kamal965]

I think most of you have misunderstood me. I am not stating that you shouldn't discuss and debate ideas. On the contrary, feel free to do so, it's a healthy mind's way to express itself and its beliefs. What I am attempting to get across is that why do you care about the obviously provokers, the gadflies, and trolls? Not replying to them; not giving them the time of day is the absolute best way to get rile them up, while saving your time. You know you're right. You are absolutely certain you are correct. So why dignify them with a response?

 

Sure, debate all you want: but when they are screaming at you that you are wrong and they are right, without any other explanation, that is when you should ignore them.

 

As for those posts which gets a lot of downvotes, I don't really see anything wrong or need for the owner of the vote to feel negative. It just shows that more people who bothered to read and comment disagreed. It may not be the majority(who may be neutral actually) and even majority is not necessarily == right/correct/appropriate. If you are sure of yourself like OP claimed, then there should be no lasting problem. next time something came up, just shoot new posts instead of holding back due to possible down votes. There may be people who will agree/benefit from it no matter what the "vote" shows.

 

Exactly.

[Cinderain]

Er mah god.

 

No down-vote thingy!

Edited May 6, 2013 by FatalX7

[nobodylistensxx]

I care because its not ok to say S#&$ on the internet. If they want a fight, they can have one!!

[Kantazo]

Downvote needs to be limited to 3 downvotes a day per person.