Thanks. I’m not sure votes have that much to do with being right, though. My perception is more that people vote up things they like seeing—and vote down things they don’t. It sometimes seems more like applause.
I’m not sure votes have that much to do with being right, though.
They may be better correlated with being convincing than with being right.
One reason why I find much of your contrarianism unconvincing, Tim, is that you rarely actually engage in a debate. Instead you simply reiterate your own position rather than pointing out flaws or hidden assumptions in the arguments of your interlocutors.
Thanks. I’m not sure votes have that much to do with being right, though. My perception is more that people vote up things they like seeing—and vote down things they don’t. It sometimes seems more like applause.
They may be better correlated with being convincing than with being right.
One reason why I find much of your contrarianism unconvincing, Tim, is that you rarely actually engage in a debate. Instead you simply reiterate your own position rather than pointing out flaws or hidden assumptions in the arguments of your interlocutors.
Some of the “applause” evidence is near the top of this very thread—if you sort by “Top”.
Yeah, but I can’t afford to buy that kind of applause. So I will just have to keep on sweet-talking people and trying to dazzle them with my wit. :)
Applause (and boos) is precisely what it is. There is nothing wrong with applause and boos. What matters is why the members of LW award them.