I sympathize - as a Chinese who is often critical of other Chinese, I've been called a traitor more times than I can remember. I've also been told that I was "no longer" Chinese, because I refused to side with "my people".
How do people from religious backgrounds where “karma” refers to something serious feel about the word being appropriated to mean a number on a web page?
I am an Indian, not sure about the relegious part.
Karma at least in India/Hindu culture is tossed around more freely than in the west. Mostly associated to negative incidents.
"I had a flat tire, its my karma", "Someone got kicked out of a job, he is reaping his karma".
You rarely would say "He has accumulated lot of good karma by doing good, I better see what he has to say".
On HN, its a different story.
Referring to those with whom one should be having a discussion as opposition is one of the foremost reasons that we need karma to effect visibility in the first place.
"Freedom of speech" is not a guarantee that you can post some a comment on some web forum and have it be seen, its a guarantee that if you do, and it is, that your government won't punish you for it.
By that same reasoning, China has a guarantee that it won't punish you for badmouthing their government...as long as it's done in the privacy of your own home.
I realize that freedom of speech in the US doesn't apply to private establishments, but I would expect HN to hold a higher standard than say a conservative Christian forum.
And keep in mind that one of PG's goals is to reduce the herd mentality.
By that same reasoning, China has a guarantee that it won't punish you for badmouthing their government...as long as it's done in the privacy of your own home.
America's free speech is a guarantee of nonpunishment _regardless_of_forum_.
What I'm getting at here is that you are trying to be pedantic know-it-all, yet you fail to know the details of free speech which you claim to be so knowledgeable about.
Just because I named 2 dubious uses of free speech, "slander" and "assasination", doesn't mean that the laws can't be twisted to clamp down on more legitimate issues: such as revealing corruption in the government which can be construed as libel in the US.
Overall, I am disappointed in the attitude of HN readers like you who take freedom of speech lightly.
Comments
" Why did you think you would be downvoted? :) "
This has happened to me before :-). I was called a "traitor" (to whom?) and "elitist" for saying something similar to this in another forum.
I don't mind. Karma (even on HN) is just a number on a webpage :-P
I sympathize - as a Chinese who is often critical of other Chinese, I've been called a traitor more times than I can remember. I've also been told that I was "no longer" Chinese, because I refused to side with "my people".
How do people from religious backgrounds where “karma” refers to something serious feel about the word being appropriated to mean a number on a web page?
I am an Indian, not sure about the relegious part. Karma at least in India/Hindu culture is tossed around more freely than in the west. Mostly associated to negative incidents. "I had a flat tire, its my karma", "Someone got kicked out of a job, he is reaping his karma".
You rarely would say "He has accumulated lot of good karma by doing good, I better see what he has to say". On HN, its a different story.
I imagine they think we'll get what we deserve for doing so.
I don't mind. Karma (even on HN) is just a number on a webpage :-P
Unfortunately, it is not just a number on HN.
A recent article here revealed a hidden algorithm that makes your votes useless if you drop under the global average karma/comment.
Thus it is more likely that populist opinions have comments shown higher while yours is likely rendered less visible by being grayed out.
So it's more than just a number on a web site... it's the ability to influence other numbers on that web site!
That would only be true if karma doesn't effect the visibility of your comment compared to the opposition.
It's an issue of freedom of speech, and unfortunately, isn't just another "number".
Referring to those with whom one should be having a discussion as opposition is one of the foremost reasons that we need karma to effect visibility in the first place.
"Freedom of speech" is not a guarantee that you can post some a comment on some web forum and have it be seen, its a guarantee that if you do, and it is, that your government won't punish you for it.
By that same reasoning, China has a guarantee that it won't punish you for badmouthing their government...as long as it's done in the privacy of your own home.
I realize that freedom of speech in the US doesn't apply to private establishments, but I would expect HN to hold a higher standard than say a conservative Christian forum.
And keep in mind that one of PG's goals is to reduce the herd mentality.
By that same reasoning, China has a guarantee that it won't punish you for badmouthing their government...as long as it's done in the privacy of your own home. America's free speech is a guarantee of nonpunishment _regardless_of_forum_.
That is incorrect. You are not allowed to cry fire in a theater nor are you allowed to say you will assassinate a public figure.
I'm not sure what you're getting at here.
What I'm getting at here is that you are trying to be pedantic know-it-all, yet you fail to know the details of free speech which you claim to be so knowledgeable about.
Just because I named 2 dubious uses of free speech, "slander" and "assasination", doesn't mean that the laws can't be twisted to clamp down on more legitimate issues: such as revealing corruption in the government which can be construed as libel in the US.
Overall, I am disappointed in the attitude of HN readers like you who take freedom of speech lightly.
I have a friend who is interested in link site karma systems who would probably love to read that - you don't have a link, do you?