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Exposing the utterly meaningless number seems to hugely encourage playing to the crowd on sites where it's visible. It's one of the worst aspects of reddit that
by NeedMoreTea 8y ago
Exposing the utterly meaningless number seems to hugely encourage playing to the crowd on sites where it's visible. It's one of the worst aspects of reddit that almost every thread has the same pattern. I may be wrong, but it seems like that pattern stems from playing for karma. Not for interest, not for discussion, just points which encourages the smart arse in every sub thread.
Exposing who would just further encourage tit for tat.
- Zarath 8y agoAgreed, having never really thought about it until this thread. I like the fact that I can't see vote count on this site
- scoggs 8y agoYou nailed it. I appreciate that aspect of this site and it makes reading even the lower posted replies somehow more meaningful and relevant to me.
- ddingus 8y agoOne of the most basic ways to combat that is to set the default sort to "new", not top. Does not eliminate that behavior, but it does very significantly reduce it to almost a non issue. Just FYI.
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoTrue, mostly. I do find it wearing that so many interesting reddit discussions would be so much easier without the 50% that's all the "your mum" jokes and "username fits" easy karma wins.
- ddingus 8y agoThat varies considerably by subreddit. I do agree with you though. Many Redditors are not longer form type people. I tend to skim, and when I find something compelling, I power through where the subs do little about those things. Some subs do cultivate better, longer form writing, and or less of the Reddit "BS." And, I vary too. It's not always annoying. Mixed in there are some real zingers. Love those.
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoI confess I vary too - sometimes there's a few really clever ones. I think it's most frustrating in the busier subs where the pollution gets out of hand. I;m much more forgiving of the odd digression on here or the more on topic subs.
- ddingus 8y agoWe all have our shallow moments. I relish them. :D
- adminu 8y agoIt's not only tit for tat but also the herd behavior of following the masses and like the already popular content instead of deciding for yourself if you like something.
- rimliu 8y agoIf number is utterly meaningless it should not be here at all, visible or not.
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoI don't think it adds anything at all having it visible on my own posts. Occasional surprise when something attracts a particularly high or controversial voting pattern isn't giving much. Keeping the overall total seems relatively harmless and helps identify the low and negative karma trolls. Ordering on HN by vote count works, and would continue to work invisible to all. The few places it breaks - the political, the climate change discussions etc, are where there may be more voting for tribal reasons.
- TeMPOraL 8y agoIt's not a meaningless number, especially when not exposed. But you're right that exposing it causes undesired behaviour, + makes the number increasingly meaningless (c.f. Goodhart's law).
- uwot74 8y agoI came to the same conclusion and made a Chrome extension to remove several of these numbers (upvotes, karma, etc.) from reddit: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/novote/kepihiliocoofjjbgmcmalnjmeclpnga?hl=en https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/novote/kepihilioco....