I reject out of hand any proposed rule of propriety that stipulates people must pretend to be naive supplicants.
I never said anything about pretending anything. I said if you request clarification, and don’t actually need clarification, you’re just making noise. Ideally you will be downvoted for that.
There is more than one reason to ask for clarification for a downvote—even “I’m just kinda curious” is a valid reason. Sometimes votes just seem bizarre and not even Machiavellian reasoning helps explain the pattern. I don’t feel obliged to answer any such request but I do so if convenient. I certainly never begrudge others the opportunity to ask if they do so politely.
Sure, but I still maintain that a request for clarification itself can be annoying and hence downvote worthy. I don’t think any comment is inherently protected or should be exempt from being downvoted.
Sure, but I still maintain that a request for clarification itself can be annoying and hence downvote worthy. I don’t think any comment is inherently protected or should be exempt from being downvoted.
I agree with you on these points. I downvote requests for clarification sometime—particularly if, say, the reason for the downvote is transparent or the flow conveys an attitude that jars with me. I certainly agree that people should be free to downvote freely whenever they please and for whatever reason they please—again, for me to presume otherwise would be a demand for naivety or dishonesty (typically both).
I never said anything about pretending anything. I said if you request clarification, and don’t actually need clarification, you’re just making noise. Ideally you will be downvoted for that.
Sure, but I still maintain that a request for clarification itself can be annoying and hence downvote worthy. I don’t think any comment is inherently protected or should be exempt from being downvoted.
I agree with you on these points. I downvote requests for clarification sometime—particularly if, say, the reason for the downvote is transparent or the flow conveys an attitude that jars with me. I certainly agree that people should be free to downvote freely whenever they please and for whatever reason they please—again, for me to presume otherwise would be a demand for naivety or dishonesty (typically both).