Let me rephrase. I suggest downvoting a comment only when it makes you think “I don’t want this person in this community”. Don’t downvote comments which might be reasonably attributed to an OK person making an honest mistake.
This sabotages any chance of using karma to find and sort good comments from bad in the future. I want good content to be differentiated from bad regardless of source. I upvote known trolls when they say smart shit and I downvote eliezer when he’s being a douchebag.
I wasn’t at all suggesting to upvote / downvote on ad hominem basis. When someone is being a douchebag, downvote her by all means. When someone is stating an opinion you consider to be wrong while doing it in honest and respectful manner, don’t downvote. If you want to express your disagreement, reply and (politely) explain why you disagree.
Let me rephrase. I suggest downvoting a comment only when it makes you think “I don’t want this person in this community”. Don’t downvote comments which might be reasonably attributed to an OK person making an honest mistake.
This sabotages any chance of using karma to find and sort good comments from bad in the future. I want good content to be differentiated from bad regardless of source. I upvote known trolls when they say smart shit and I downvote eliezer when he’s being a douchebag.
I wasn’t at all suggesting to upvote / downvote on ad hominem basis. When someone is being a douchebag, downvote her by all means. When someone is stating an opinion you consider to be wrong while doing it in honest and respectful manner, don’t downvote. If you want to express your disagreement, reply and (politely) explain why you disagree.