3 ms·

This lack of diversity of media/thought just propagates our current media landscape where people generally fall into 2 camps: Liberal sources (CNN/NBC/NYT) and

This lack of diversity of media/thought just propagates our current media landscape where people generally fall into 2 camps: Liberal sources (CNN/NBC/NYT) and then Fox viewers. With reddit there's a real opportunity to give readers a diversity of opinion, but in this upvote/downvote scheme usually the opposing opinion is buried so that it may never be seen. At least from my POV the thing reddit could improve from in this respect may be more of going into a HN type model by removing the downvote button.

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
Wouldn't removing the down button just end up with more trolling, and wouldn't the same stuff sink to the bottom anyways as it's passed over for the more upvoted material?
- cwperkins 8y ago
  The majority are more powerful here because they have a higher number to downvote posts they disagree with. It can only be postulated until reddit removes the downvote button, but I suspect that conservative posts wouldn't make the top but at least rise in the ranks as the majority would not be able to suppress them.
idoh 8y ago
You are looking at reddit solely through the lens of politics. I do agree that it is not a great place for political debate. However, would you allow for the fact that setting aside USA national politics, there is a lot of value? I subscribe to subreddits about kombucha making, MTG, retirement saving, minimalism, and in those areas there is quite a lot of reasonable discussion.
- cwperkins 8y ago
  That's my primary use case for reddit. I joined more than 10 years ago during the big digg migration. I think there are many wonderful communities in the space and it is something to cherish. But when r/news is a default subreddit and the majority have power to sink opposing viewpoints I think it merits a discussion on the importance of diversity of thought.

3 ms·

This lack of diversity of media/thought just propagates our current media landscape where people generally fall into 2 camps: Liberal sources (CNN/NBC/NYT) and

by cwperkins 8y ago

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
Wouldn't removing the down button just end up with more trolling, and wouldn't the same stuff sink to the bottom anyways as it's passed over for the more upvoted material?
- cwperkins 8y ago
  The majority are more powerful here because they have a higher number to downvote posts they disagree with. It can only be postulated until reddit removes the downvote button, but I suspect that conservative posts wouldn't make the top but at least rise in the ranks as the majority would not be able to suppress them.
idoh 8y ago
You are looking at reddit solely through the lens of politics. I do agree that it is not a great place for political debate. However, would you allow for the fact that setting aside USA national politics, there is a lot of value? I subscribe to subreddits about kombucha making, MTG, retirement saving, minimalism, and in those areas there is quite a lot of reasonable discussion.
- cwperkins 8y ago
  That's my primary use case for reddit. I joined more than 10 years ago during the big digg migration. I think there are many wonderful communities in the space and it is something to cherish. But when r/news is a default subreddit and the majority have power to sink opposing viewpoints I think it merits a discussion on the importance of diversity of thought.