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HN should really get rid of downvotes. They only play one role: To alter how others perceive a post I am unfortunately immediately biased against a post that
by briefcomment 6y ago
HN should really get rid of downvotes.
They only play one role: To alter how others perceive a post
I am unfortunately immediately biased against a post that is greyed out. Greyed posts are increasingly just a different political view rather than an objectively wrong statement.
If a post is truly problematic, there is a flag option.
Let the cream rise to the top, but don't tell people how to think.
- em-bee 6y agohaving seen to many unreasonable downvotes, i have the opposite reaction. when i see a gray post i tend to expect the downvotes to be unreasonable. frequently it is something that i don't agree with but feel is a comment made in good faith that doesn't deserve to be downvoted. rarely it is something unacceptable that deserved its downvotes. (like this comment is made in good faith but off topic...)
- briefcomment 6y agoMy comment was definitely off topic, but the message never gets traction when it's on its own.
- Karunamon 6y agoI tend to agree. If we're going to go meta, use downvotes as a sorting mechanism so the stuff the community thinks is most valuable winds up at the top, but remove the greying.
- briefcomment 6y agoAgreed. I think downvoting is an ugly thing. Most of the time, low stakes condemnation is a cowardly overreaction. That being said, as a sorting mechanism, it's not much worse than an upvote
- pnako 6y agoThe only effect of downvotes is that I have to highlight text to be able to read it. I'm not sure what the point of the system is.