I think the sense of community would be improved with the removal of the upvote/downvote

In reply to tremm :

It is rare and it usually pops up when there is universal condemnation of a non automotive topic, which actually stops division before Margie has to step in and scold everyone.

I'm going to have to disagree.  One of my recent posts was honored with the message you have shown above.  If we remove the upvote/downvote how in the world will I be able to perceive that my thinking is out of step with that of others and fall into obedient lockstep with the intolerant masses?

Maybe just get rid of the downvote button like facebook did?

I like the upvotes because they give a sense of consensus instead of multiple "yep" and "I agree" comments.

Michealjacksoneatingpopcorn.gif

there's no way this thread gets locked.

That's a recently implemented feature. I'd rather they show us who is upvoting or downvoting personally.

My dream feature would be an ignore poster option though.

I'll be honest, I went back and upvoted that particular comment lol

I know for Reddit, the up vote and down vote is "supposed" to represent comments that add to the conversation or detract from it.  It of course rapidly denigrated into "I support your position whether it's a good argument or not" and thus tyranny of the majority and massive echo chambering ensued.  Of note is that Reddit RANKS comments of any topic by votes (highest always at the top), so it HIGHLY exaggerates the situation.

I honestly have not noticed down voting here, but I guess I would not know unless it hit negative.  I guess that would be the problem with the down vote, you really don't know if someone gets one, unless you are tracking them.... then of course... you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

Is this a joke/trolling or something? I come back 30 minutes later and the OP is already downvoted enough to be hidden?

The content of that post is so... mild.

If you're wondering how communities devolve into groupthink (echochamber, whatever), personally I think that's one major way it happens.

Are people really under the impression that we can't have a discussion without getting a thread locked?

I strongly think that kind of stuff drives positive contributors off a forum. Forums are already rare enough as it is imo.

Yeah, it's a bit like putting a "do not push this button" sign on a button.

You pretty much guarantee a bunch of button pushes (yes, it's that kind of group here ).

In reply to tremm :

I think you got downvoted just for fun lol

I don't think I've ever noticed a post downvoted to the point where it's hidden before. Usually, downvoting like that is reserved for spam.

In reply to aircooled :

I love the idea of reddit, and use it for stories/info. However the echo chamber because of the down voting/upvoting is stupid. I think it would be better if they allowed voting, but hid the numbers. People actually thinking for themselves would be nice. 

I don't see that issue here. I love the upvoting and enjoy when my comments are well received. 

In reply to tremm :

See the "Can we please stop hotlinking pics?" thread for more information about what just happened. You have just inadvertently done your part to improve the sense of community around here, even if not in the way you intended. Yours might just become the most downvoted post that this site will ever see.

RevRico said:

That's a recently implemented feature. I'd rather they show us who is upvoting or downvoting personally.

My dream feature would be an ignore poster option though.

In all my life on the interwebs I have never seen an ignore feature work well

In reply to tremm :

You weren't here for the hotlinking thread, or the ignore thread, were you?

Sorry, but for now this is the best solution we have. We're a small company without a full-time moderation team. As the volume and frequency of inflammatory posts has risen over the past few months, we had to do something to help people realize when they're not posting in a way that makes everybody's experience on the forum better without a 12-24 hour delay for us to catch it.  It was becoming a full time (and nights, and weekends, etc.) job to find inflammatory posts and deal with them. That means we spend less time writing about cars, which is the reason we are all here.

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I like the feature of up/downvoting and not posting to add to the mess. 

In reply to tremm :

It's pretty great that you're thinking deeply about the health of the community/forum. 

I regret that I have but one downvote to give.

Keith Tanner said:

I don't think I've ever noticed a post downvoted to the point where it's hidden before. Usually, downvoting like that is reserved for spam.

There is one person in particular here who has multiple posts downvoted to the point of his posts being hidden just in the last few days.

I think not being able to be a jerk and be anonymous would stop a lot of it.

Keith Tanner said:

I don't think I've ever noticed a post downvoted to the point where it's hidden before. Usually, downvoting like that is reserved for spam.

I think I have seen over -60 in a thread where we were wondering about downvoting.  Just because the SHINY, CANDY-LIKE  BUTTON was there.

yupididit said:

In reply to tremm :

I think you got downvoted just for fun lol

Exactly and doing it didn't disappoint on the fun...lots of fun.