• @Arelin@lemmy.zip
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    31 year ago

    I don’t think downvotes should be a thing at all tbh. Just silences discussion.

    If a comment is actively hateful and/or breaks rules you’d report it instead, as is the case in alot of Lemmy instances.

    • @FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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      21 year ago

      right? if you say something the lef… i mean lemmy users don’t like, you just get SHOUTED down instead. cause if you screetch loud enough it makes it true.

    • @Syrc@lemmy.world
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      11 year ago

      It’s useful for gauging the general opinion on a subject, or for “exposing” fake affirmations without having to dig comments.

      It does bring its issues, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. Plus it’s not like Reddit where you just have the balance, people indeed have the tendency to ignore/comment snarkily on “-5” comments, but if they see a “+10/-15” they often realize it’s a controversial opinion and weigh in.

    • Flying Squid
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      1 year ago

      How is anyone on Lemmy silenced by downvotes? Just basic feelings of shame because some people on the internet didn’t like what they said?

      • @Arelin@lemmy.zip
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        21 year ago

        People have a tendency to pile on and dismiss any opinion or comment with -1 votes or less instead of properly responding to it, like what’s happening just above this comment. Turns the place into an echo chamber.

        • Flying Squid
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          -11 year ago

          How does it turn the place into an echo chamber? Why would anyone let that silence them? There are zero repercussions for a downvote on Lemmy.

          Is your ego really so fragile that “people don’t like my comment” is enough to make you stop talking?

          • @Arelin@lemmy.zip
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            21 year ago

            Lmao did you even read my comment? Who said anything about not commenting if you’re getting negative votes?

            People have a tendency to pile on and dismiss any opinion or comment with -1 votes or less instead of properly responding to it, like what’s happening just above this comment.

            • Flying Squid
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              01 year ago

              That comment did not justify your original comment, which was:

              I don’t think downvotes should be a thing at all tbh. Just silences discussion.

              Someone not responding to your post does not silence discussion. Neither do downvotes. No one, not even you, is entitled to a response. Who sees a downvote and decides that they were going to respond but now won’t? That’s ludicrous.

              So as far as- “Who said anything about not commenting if you’re getting negative votes?,” that would be you, who claimed downvotes silenced discussion.

              • @Arelin@lemmy.zip
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                31 year ago

                No one is entitled to a response

                Again, did you even read my comment? Pointing out a tendency people have isn’t “entitlement”. People shy away from small numbers and interact with large numbers more.

                Who sees a downvote and decides that they were going to respond but now won’t?

                We literally see this in threads all the time. Negatively voted comments are responded to with one-liners or nothing at all, as if the negative votes somehow prove them wrong.

                Someone not responding to your post does not silence discussion

                Lmao I’ll be “discussing” this topic with my wall now

                • Flying Squid
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                  01 year ago

                  You again did not explain how anyone is silenced by downvotes. And we do not “literally see this” because you have no idea if those people who downvoted were ever going to respond.

                  • @Arelin@lemmy.zip
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                    1 year ago

                    how anyone is silenced by downvotes

                    My comment:

                    I don’t think downvotes should be a thing at all tbh. Just silences anyone discussion.

                    .

                    you have no idea if those people who downvoted were ever going to respond

                    That’s not what I said:

                    People have a tendency to … dismiss any opinion … with -1 votes or less instead of properly responding to it

                    People dismiss it either because it has low visibility since it’s downvoted so people wouldn’t see it, or because of our tendency for big numbers.

                    Taking out downvotes would allow for less popular opinions (that do not break rules by being hateful or spam; you’d report it in those cases) to have higher visibility and discussion since the majority can’t just downvote it, just because they slightly disagree with it or are biased against it, and silence discussion.

                    People who do agree would also be able to show it through upvotes, and it wouldn’t be eaten by the downvotes.

                    Thanks for your comments actually. Got me to think about the benefits more clearly. Discussions are great.