Can we create a disagree option?

submitted by AreYouSureee from self.help

I’d much prefer that than funny. I want to partake in the subs I’m active in and voting is a big part.

all 22 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]Chipit 23 insightful - 3 fun23 insightful - 2 fun24 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

No.

"I disagree" isn't an argument. If you have an argument to make, make it. If you can't make a coherent counter-argument...maybe you need to reconsider your beliefs.

[–]Dolphinman360 14 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 0 fun15 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I agree. Reddit faced problems with the downvote button, and in many ways I think it negativity impacted the site. It perpetuated hive-mind thinking and dissuaded discourse between members. It hindered debates and ended up being more trouble than it was worth.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Don't upvotes do the same thing? I could say "Orange man bad." and get 1000 upvotes also perpetuating hive mind thinking. The real problem is how reddit displays comments based on the votes. I really have no practical solution for that, although a multi vote system might work. Vote for: on/off topic, strong/weak argument, agree/disagree w argument, novel/mundane point etc. There are probably better categories, these are my top-of-the-head ideas. If users could sort by any one of these, I think it would be good.

[–][deleted] 13 insightful - 4 fun13 insightful - 3 fun14 insightful - 4 fun -  (10 children)

A well written disagreement comment is worth 100 downvotes.

[–]quipu 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is the approach I favor as well. Good content should rise to the top based on votes, but there is no need to stifle conversation using downvotes, which on reddit are mainly used to express blanket disapproval.

[–]AreYouSureee[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Absolutely, I’m not talking about posts where discussion is warranted, I’m talking about posts that are basically shitposts, or very unnecessary.

[–]Chipit 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

"Unnecessary?" Wow, that's a value judgement.

How about just ignoring things you don't like, rather than demanding a way to show your disgust in public? Why do you want others to know, anyway? What's the motivation here?

[–]AreYouSureee[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You have the option to hide posts you’ve voted on. If you want to get the post off your hot page you have to agree with it now.

[–]anarchy753 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

And yet seeing downvotes gives some people the confidence to voice a dissenting opinion.

When you come to a thread with a bunch of agreeing people filled with "everything here is insightful and funny," you feel much less welcome to make valid disagreements than if you see other people, even less 'vocal' ones are at least around.

[–]Cindy 4 insightful - 5 fun4 insightful - 4 fun5 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

I've never heard of anyone thinking like this before.

[–]Chipit 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What!? Uh, no? Who thinks that way? This is only you, and what you're doing is called "conformism". Did you grow up in the suburbs or something?

[–]whereswhat 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I actually agree with your logic here but would add that if a downvote button were to be added, then two things must also happen: (1) the number of downvotes must not affect a post/comment's visibility and (2) the number of downvotes must be shown separately from the insightful/fun votes.

[–]anarchy753 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I like that.

[–]rdh2121 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

That's an interesting idea. I think the insightful/funny breakdown is a great idea, and should be kept, but it would be nice to create a way to express/quantify dissent/disagreement on posts, even if it had no effect on the visibility of the post for algorithm purposes.

Edit: UI clutter is a concern though, so I'm not really sure how to implement this cleanly, even if it would be a useful feature to have.

[–]AreYouSureee[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

That’d be a great idea! I basically just want it gone from my home page without agreeing with it.

[–]Trajan 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Click hide. It's gone. I ignored your post and no longer see it in /all or this sub.

[–]book-of-saturday 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

No. Ignore the post or refute it.

[–]Byebyeredditaccount 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

No.

If you don’t like an opinion argue it, if it’s fucking stupid do what people did for ages before the internet.

Ignore it

[–]Jesus-Christ 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Disagree with your keyboard.

[–]scrubking 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Downvote button is just easy censorship.

[–]Godhelpus90 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Just say you disagree and be prepared to explain why.

[–]Trajan 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Post a response. Explain why you disagree. Use Reddit if you feel it's important to cast votes based your level of agreement with others. If it's a troll post then ignore it and move on to something worthy of a response. Click hide if you don't want to see a post.

While voting is pitched by most sites as a way to indicate quality, the reality is that most people vote based on whether they agree or disagree. The 'I disagree' mentality is everything wrong with voting systems on most sites. We don't need that here.