Dr. Shades wrote:Stem wrote:Why can't we have a feature wherein we simply give a rep point or thumbs up to posts we like? It makes it easier and also makes you feel more involved with each other.
'Cause it leads to tribalism and cliquishness, where the reputation of the poster becomes a greater factor in evaluating a post than the actual
content of the post.
Yup. This is an anonymous discussion board, and it works best on that basis.
Here, if you can be said to win, it is because your opponent ends up without a leg to stand on (even if he or she does not notice it - in which case the Black Knight gif is always useful). The most interesting posters here show no signs of feeling any strong need to be approved of, or even liked - even though they often are to all evidence likeable people, and would I think be pleasant in real life company. They just want to be clear in what they say, and to find out what is true. In the world as it currently is, the presence of such people is a refreshment. What would rep points add to that?
By the way, the great thing about Moksha's posts, referred to in this thread, is that they nearly always have a point - and his way of putting his point in penguinese makes that point even more effective. His cuteness is a means, not an end in itself, which would rapidly become tedious.
