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"Before I get downvoted into oblivion" Why is it always necessarily to add this? It's like "I apologize in advance but I'm going to insult you". As an aside I
by larrys 14y ago
"Before I get downvoted into oblivion"
Why is it always necessarily to add this? It's like "I apologize in advance but I'm going to insult you".
As an aside I was wondering this morning if people who down vote read an entire comment or downvote on the first negative thing they don't like, disagree with etc. If that is the case you would think that putting your last sentence (sans the bigdio) would suffice as a prophylactic statement?
- pitt1980 14y agopeople say this because outside the mainstream thoughts do get downvoted alot on this board. which is maybe better than letting trolls take over, I'm kind of agnostic about it but alternative viewpoints are often dismissed here (only example I can readily think of http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3460572 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3460572 , but I feel like I see it all the time)
- stretchwithme 14y agoHundreds of people may read and agree or disagree. And usually the number of down votes is very small by comparison.
- pitt1980 14y agoI'm sure that's the case putting a sentence about how your comment may be downvoted, is just a request not to have that small number reflexsively downvote, because sometimes that happens
- larrys 14y agoI guess I phrased the question incorrectly as I know the reason is is to avoid downvotes and the person is aware of what they are saying will get downvoted. My feeling is that by saying "sorry if this is insulting" or "I apologize in advance" or "before you downvote me" you are rolling over on your belly and appearing vulnerable by acknowledging your vulnerability and trying to show some humility. And in a sense you are setting up the contrast principle because the belly in comparison to the crime just doesn't seem so bad.
- pitt1980 14y agoits a rhetorical technique whether its effective seems situational "sorry if this is insulting" won't be effective if what you follow it with is truly insulting we all know thin skinned people though, sometimes the best way to get them to hear a benign (or neutral, or even constructive critism) comment that they might dismiss is to procede it with "sorry if this is insulting" so there are certain scenarios where I'd say those phrases are ok (this board with their sometimes quick downvoting, seems like an ok use to me)
- guelo 14y agoI agree with you that the extra noise of the "downvote prophylactic" is annoying, however, I went ahead and downvoted your comment because the meta-complaining adds even more noise. I realize that my comment is meta-meta so feel free to downvote it also.
- CodeMage 14y agoMaybe I'm just too cynical, but I see that as a form of passive aggressive manipulation. The way I read that kind of comment is "I know the mob will downvote me instead of discussing the topic; you don't want to be part of the mob, do you now?"
- timwiseman 14y agoYes, but that is often justified and understandable. HackerNews has one of the better communities out there but I know that getting downvoted without an explanation annoys me. This happens even on HackerNews occassionally.