http://qs1969.pair.com?node_id=11137973


in reply to Controversial!! - Get rid of the -- vote option.

The idea that all ++ votes are valid is easily shown to be incorrect with any number of selected nodes that are wholly inaccurate garbage but got upvoted multiple times. Going only on human psychology it will shake out that way as a thought experiment: the voter gains XP and advances in levels from upvotes, therefore, even in a content vacuum, the impetus is for spending votes that way.

I am sure I have some cognitive bias on the matter but I don’t remember seeing any nodes that had more downvotes than deserved.

I’m in your group #1—as a former set member, I bear group #2 no ill will—and I would cease to use the site completely if the -- were removed. Not having it for comments on SO is one of the reasons I hardly spend any time there; their major issue is their inept and joyless attempt at informational engineering though.

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Re^2: Controversial!! - Get rid of the -- vote option.
by Bod (Parson) on Oct 24, 2021 at 15:39 UTC
    ...the voter gains XP and advances in levels from upvotes...

    Not only from upvotes...the voting node says: "You have 25% chance of gaining 1 XP every time you vote on a node. If, however, you cast more downvotes than upvotes, you can be penalized by losing XP".

    So you get XP for both up votes and down votes. Unless you downvote more. Surely there are only two reasons why that would happen...either you are being mischievous (just the kind of behaviour the OP was concerned about) or you don't get any value from the content and will leave naturally anyway.