On Troll Rating Comments

by: PocketAces

Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 11:11:10 AM EDT

Ratings are intended to help elevate those posters that consistently make clear, good arguments and points, regardless of content, and to prevent trolls from invading the message board. Downrating commenters on the basis of agreement or disagreement with their arguments leads to a monolithic forum, free of new ideas and input.

So, please don't downrate comments just because you disagree with them!

Unfortunately, over the last few days, I've noticed a rash of unfounded troll-ratings on comments that otherwise are receiving multiple 4's.  Thankfully, it's limited to a single individual, but a small reminder to the entire community will hopefully prevent others from fall down this slippery slope.

So save the 0's for the real trolls - for those posts that are truly offensive or defy reality.  Troll-rating a comment simply because you don't agree with it is not only juvenile, but harms the level of discourse at BlueJersey.  When you don't like a comment, post a rebuttal.  But to simply click on the "0" is just plain lazy.