A single up-down arrow system is fracked. Are you agreeing or disagreeing? Are you recommending or dis-recommending? Can you tell the difference? Are you acting petty or noble? Do you like or dislike the poster? Did he/she take you to the cleaners the last time you disagreed online?
These systems do not promote healthy, honest, respectful discussion. They promote lock-step agreement with wherever the majority is going. Most people vote their emotions, not their head. With that in mind, the karma system is a system to enforce that overall you're going to say things people mostly agree with -- not that they find interesting or new.
This leads to a "me too" board, where there are pre-decided opinions on everything and posters struggle to pat each other on the back in new and interesting ways.
I exaggerate, but only to a point. As you can see on other boards, this is a real and deleterious condition. (Please insert John Stuart Mill's argument for the utility of listening to minority opinions here)
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A single up-down arrow system is fracked. Are you agreeing or disagreeing? Are you recommending or dis-recommending? Can you tell the difference? Are you acting petty or noble? Do you like or dislike the poster? Did he/she take you to the cleaners the last time you disagreed online?
These systems do not promote healthy, honest, respectful discussion. They promote lock-step agreement with wherever the majority is going. Most people vote their emotions, not their head. With that in mind, the karma system is a system to enforce that overall you're going to say things people mostly agree with -- not that they find interesting or new.
This leads to a "me too" board, where there are pre-decided opinions on everything and posters struggle to pat each other on the back in new and interesting ways.
I exaggerate, but only to a point. As you can see on other boards, this is a real and deleterious condition. (Please insert John Stuart Mill's argument for the utility of listening to minority opinions here)