just curious, why are downvotes not allowed on beehaw?

milkytoast@beehaw.org to Beehaw Support@beehaw.org – 4 points –

feel like they can be very useful

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This can also go the same way for upvotes. If you have to put some thought into a disagreement you should do the same for agreement. So upvotes should be removed too so the platform just operates on voiced agreement or disagreement in the comments.

There is a still a need to surface and prioritize good discussion. Upvotes remain a pretty good way of doing this, especially when removing the downvotes.

Why not surface communities based on activity. As in how active the comments section is. That way agreements and disagreements are weighed equally.

I'd be interested in seeing that experiment in the comment section. It could be implemented with another filter (similar to the "Activity" filter in the post listing, I'd guess). Still, this wouldn't present a qualitative difference between "good" and "bad" discussion. But it might surface "interesting" discussion for a certain type of member.

i feel like this incentivises 'controversial' posting. content that is designed to illicit a response, good or bad. i feel like this is another avenue to creating an inflammatory space.

This can also go the same way for upvotes. If you have to put some thought into a disagreement you should do the same for agreement. So upvotes should be removed too so the platform just operates on voiced agreement or disagreement in the comments.

well, even if we wanted to do this we couldn't--it's not toggleable on our end. but if you want to get a simulacrum of this experience i believe that's essentially what turning off scores does, which you can do in your user settings.