To recommend or unrecommend, that is the question

[Uncle Joe]

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

William Shakespeare
Hamlet

With apologies to the Bard.

Regarding the feature, I'm sort of on the fence at this point, but I wonder if increasing the number of recommendations required to make the greatest page would serve the same purpose without the negative Karma?

[BlooInBloo]

1. So what if 15 people rec it, and 200 people wish they could unrec, but aren't allowed to?

Why shouldn't those 200 individually have just as much a say in what gets to the Greatest as those 15 individually have?

Why should only the pro side get a say in what gets on the Greatest? I'll never understand that.

It's so weird because those who are anti-unrec continually squawk about dissent being silenced. When that's *precisely* what they're seeking to do.

[omega minimo]

2. Petty, controlling, paranoid attitude that not one thread on this has provided good reason for.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Playing the devil's advocate here, 15 people would believe it was great and would be happy. The 200

people do have power and could either ignore or find other threads worthy of recommending.

If the 200 people couldn't find or post anything worthy of recommending to the Greatest Page, then I would surmise the 15 peoples' point of view should be respected.

[BlooInBloo]

9. I missed the reasoning that explains why *only* the 'pro' side should get a say...

in what gets to the Greatest. Why should those who dissent on *that* question (not some other question) not get a say?

[omega minimo]

10. Why are some obsessing about others' recognition of something considered worth Recommending?

:crazy:

[Uncle Joe]

11. But those dissenting do get a say, all they have to do start a competing thread with an opposing

point of view, if they have a legitimate, logical argument, that should carry the day.

If their argument doesn't have merit or the people don't feel strong enough to vote their thread with more recommendations, that's just part of the process, but at least it's in the open.

[BlooInBloo]

14. Another thread cannot prevent the first thread from getting to the Greatest...

So that doesn't address the question I actually asked.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Another logical, well thought out thread can show an opposing point of view on the

Greatest Page and I thought we were supposed to be the political Party with the big tent?

[BlooInBloo]

18. The 'pro' person can both rec the thread and start another in favor of the first thread...

The 'anti' person can only start another thread. Why shouldn't the 'anti' person have access to the same range of possibilities as the 'pro' person?

[Uncle Joe]

19. The anti person can recommend the anti thread and start another thread of their own,

they do have the same range of possibilities.

[BlooInBloo]

20. No they don't. The issue is whether or not thread X gets to the Greatest. Only one thread...

Moving the goalposts to *another* thread is just avoiding the question.

[Uncle Joe]

22. If X gets to the Greatest and Y gets to the Greatest, the people will have a full range

of the various points of view of the Democratic Party in general and Democratic Underground specifically.

The people creating and recommending X to the Greatest page have every bit as much right to their opinion as the supporting people of Y.

This seem logical to me.

Sometimes threads will saturate when a major event happens but after a while they fade out.

[scubadude]

12. So it's a popularity contest your after?

This feature will just be one more way the board moves to make the thought here more generic. It is not positive in my opinion. I come here to learn, not be herded...

Scuba

[BlooInBloo]

13. I take it you're arguing against rec's as well then?

[scubadude]

21. No, recs allow a smaller but passionate group to have it's thoughs aired.

That in my opinion is a good thing. I am here to learn from others and to inform a bit. Any move to make this board more generic is negative to me.

Often you see more controversial posts tombstoned by 2 methods. One is the post is moved into certain forums that receive very little attention. The second is terms like "tin foil hat" are applied ostracize or denigrate posters with alternate views. In my opinion the use of derogatory terms and moving posts into forums that are generally looked down on by generic group think is a bad thing.

Call me a tin foil hatter if you will, but there are many very controversial subjects that are absolutely true which are routinely handled in this manner. Of course no one is totally correct all the time. That is the point.

Scuba

[lindisfarne]

7. You're right. (Another option: simply do away with both!) The ones who silience scream loudest when

their ability to silence others is limited.

[omega minimo]

3. Recced on Post #3 and already yer at "Less than Zero" Sorry Uncle Joe

I was gonna Rec ya just cuz it's YOU :hug: and then you made excellent points:

"....increasing the number of recommendations required to make the greatest page would serve the same purpose without the negative Karma?"

Like we need more negativity. :eyes:

[Uncle Joe]

8. Thanks for the support, omega.

:hug: :)

[PretzelWarrior]

4. happily unrecommended

[lpbk2713]

5. Try not to think about it a whole lot ...

Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights.
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look,
He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.

[nosmokes]

15. seems to me, by not recing a post you are unrecing a post. if you feel a need

to take an active issue with a post, address it with your own words in your response, not hiding behind an anonymous bully-button.

[omega minimo]

16. So far the only "reasons" for this appear to be "Obama bashing" and "fringe views."