Downvotes are a bad idea. We should have upvotes only.
That doesn’t improve anything. I’ve been on sites with upvotes only and it doesn’t lead to more productive discussions.
Often it results in more people posting low quality replies consisting of nothing more than “you’re an idiot” because they cannot just downvote to indicate that. Meanwhile the person giving incorrect information feels bolstered by the 3 upvotes they have received that people agree with them, while ignoring the posts with 30 upvotes pointing out why they are incorrect.
Often it results in more people posting low quality replies consisting of nothing more than “you’re an idiot” because they cannot just downvote to indicate that.
…they presumably also cannot articulate their disagreement in any more naunced way than that, either.
Okay, so would you rather have them post their disagreement that they cannot articulate in a more nuanced way, or just downvote and not clutter up the feed?
Right. Removing their downvote button isn’t going to cause people to pause and reflect on their positions, so what benefit would it provide to an actual discussion?
If I’m having an actual discussion with someone I disagree with, I’d rather receive a bunch of downvotes from the peanut gallery and keep the messages to people who want to actually discuss, then have the entire peanut gallery flooding the responses with poor quality responses to indicate their disagreement.
Yes, it would be better if people gave more nuanced replies, but let’s accept reality and the fact that not everybody is going to do that. Let’s also accept that you aren’t special and deserving of a long form point by point rebuttal from every single person who disagrees with you.
That doesn’t improve anything. I’ve been on sites with upvotes only and it doesn’t lead to more productive discussions.
Often it results in more people posting low quality replies consisting of nothing more than “you’re an idiot” because they cannot just downvote to indicate that. Meanwhile the person giving incorrect information feels bolstered by the 3 upvotes they have received that people agree with them, while ignoring the posts with 30 upvotes pointing out why they are incorrect.
…they presumably also cannot articulate their disagreement in any more naunced way than that, either.
Okay, so would you rather have them post their disagreement that they cannot articulate in a more nuanced way, or just downvote and not clutter up the feed?
I’d rather them think on it and actually articulate a position, but that’s a high bar to ask for.
Right. Removing their downvote button isn’t going to cause people to pause and reflect on their positions, so what benefit would it provide to an actual discussion?
If I’m having an actual discussion with someone I disagree with, I’d rather receive a bunch of downvotes from the peanut gallery and keep the messages to people who want to actually discuss, then have the entire peanut gallery flooding the responses with poor quality responses to indicate their disagreement.
Yes, it would be better if people gave more nuanced replies, but let’s accept reality and the fact that not everybody is going to do that. Let’s also accept that you aren’t special and deserving of a long form point by point rebuttal from every single person who disagrees with you.