I noticed a couple of behaviors in myself that I exhibit when browsing social media sites like
Digg or
reddit. (Let's leave the relative quality of articles and discussions out of this for now.
At least for the programming, reddit wins, hands down.)
The first one is that I tend to be more interested in seeing what's hidden behind the "comment below threshold." Usually, it's asinine, but sometimes it's not.
Then I noticed myself voting with my opinion - up for things I agree with, and down for things I don't. The problem with doing that is if enough people disagree with a comment, soon enough no one else will see it.
So I'm going to start upmodding any comment that has merit, even if I don't agree with it. I'll reserve downvotes for the comments with no value. Anything else is slight encouragement to the poster to change his view to match the group.
Do you think the voting structure is subtly training commenters* to think like the group? If not that powerful, do you think it influences them to share only those opinions and articles they think the group will agree with?
* I know it's spelled wrong, but they aren't really commentators in the common sense of the word, are they?
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Bully for you... this has been a issue with me about social networking! And bye the bye academically approved content before it.... if the group says something is true then it is! As to academics it is then the subject matter taught in schools. Remember for generations we were taught that it was our God given right to take land from the native people's since the 60's the same establishment are calling us thieves for the same act in history , when reality is likely somewhere in the middle and Social networks have become the same kind of lemming thought pattern not the best thought just the most popular gets heard/ seen / shared...if you agree you a lauded if you differ you are flamed...Does not say much for the proponents of Social networking does it... the problem is as you correctly point out most comments posted will be agreement to the personal opinion not to the idea of different thinking or another view point and in American culture is is less about thought and more about having the "Correct" view...not much openness there eh?
Posted by varmac
on Feb 25, 2008 at 10:37 AM UTC - 5 hrs
It's a shame, and antithetical to learning, for sure.
Posted by
Sammy Larbi
on Feb 25, 2008 at 12:10 PM UTC - 5 hrs
