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Do we really have to have "likes"?

Human October 21, 2015 at 08:19 11800 views 46 comments Feedback
It's so childish, and not appropriate for the level and type of discussion I would hope to have on a philosophy forum. If you like what somebody says, you can say so, and say why.

Comments (46)

Jamal October 21, 2015 at 08:25 ¶ #39
I don't mind likes, but I'm not too keen on the leaderboard. Not sure if I can get rid of it. Probably not.

In some ways it might be an improvement on PF, because there's no dislike.
Jamal October 21, 2015 at 08:53 ¶ #40
UPDATE: I managed to turn off the likes leaderboard.
Human October 21, 2015 at 09:11 ¶ #41
Well done. Is there an option to disable "likes" altogether?
Jamal October 21, 2015 at 09:12 ¶ #42
Reply to Human No, I'm afraid not.
Human October 21, 2015 at 09:33 ¶ #43
Will you agree to give me lots of likes then?
Jamal October 21, 2015 at 09:51 ¶ #44
Reply to Human There, I gave you one.
Mayor of Simpleton October 21, 2015 at 14:28 ¶ #107
Here's a bit of the small differences in members...

I'm all for internal replies, as when used properly one can make a quick comment rather than address the entire issue or possible post a non sequitur for the sake of humor to break up the 'over seriousness' that often occurs when a stubborn force meets a stubborn immovable object. This helps keep philosophy less being a boring academic dead from the neck down enterprise.

Now...

Like and dislikes add more nothing than internal replies, as this is just a'hit and run' approach to the thread and post. It is a contentless, lazy and a cowardly act, that simply is an ad populum 'twitterish' illness.

If we have 'like and dislikes' it would be great if we could deactivate that if we so choose.

Meow!

GREG
Benkei October 21, 2015 at 14:50 ¶ #112
Reply to Mayor of Simpleton If you don't use it, it's pretty much deactivated from your side. Meanwhile, enjoy your first like...
Human October 21, 2015 at 15:06 ¶ #115
Nothing to stop you making a quick comment in the thread. Internal replies throw everything out of sequence, people tend to use them to make silly comments or to snipe.
Mayor of Simpleton October 21, 2015 at 15:13 ¶ #117
Reply to Benkei

Thank-you!

I'll try to deactivate it now. That way I can quit while I'm ahead.

Meow!

GREG
Jamal October 21, 2015 at 15:15 ¶ #118
Quoting Mayor of Simpleton
If we have 'like and dislikes' it would be great if we could deactivate that if we so choose.


Note that the system only has likes, and no dislikes.
Mayor of Simpleton October 21, 2015 at 15:17 ¶ #119
Oh what a happy system! ;)

I can live with that.

btw... I plan to toss something into tests. Just a heads up.

Meow!

GREG
Benkei October 21, 2015 at 15:22 ¶ #122
Please don't...
S October 21, 2015 at 15:30 ¶ #123
Quoting Human
Is there an option to disable "likes" altogether?


They're barely noticeable. Especially when I use my mobile to access this site, because I have to tap the screen to see 'em.
Benkei October 21, 2015 at 15:32 ¶ #125
I aim to have more likes than posts so from now on I'll only postulate acceptable theories even if I don't support them.

Ps: this works well on a phone too...
Human October 21, 2015 at 15:41 ¶ #129
Reply to Sapientia I'm less bothered now the "Leaderboard" has gone, that was truly pathetic, still don't like likes, and I don't use a phone for this purpose.
Michael October 21, 2015 at 15:44 ¶ #130
Reply to Human The members list defaults to ordering by likes so it's effectively a leaderboard.
S October 21, 2015 at 15:45 ¶ #131
Reply to Yahadreas Shh! He might take that away too.
Human October 21, 2015 at 15:46 ¶ #132
Pathetic.
S October 21, 2015 at 15:47 ¶ #134
Reply to Human You're just jealous because I'm more popular than you. ;)

(Wait, no I'm not! Oh no, quick, someone like me.)
Human October 21, 2015 at 15:58 ¶ #135
I regard my tiny number of likes as a badge of honour.
Human October 21, 2015 at 16:04 ¶ #136
Only idiots give "likes" so anybody with a lot of "likes" is popular with idiots. It's the same as the American electoral system I think.
Human October 21, 2015 at 16:04 ¶ #137
I've given you one Sapentia.
Human October 21, 2015 at 16:15 ¶ #138
From now on I am only going to give "likes" when I really dislike something. So you'll never be sure if you are really liked or not. This subversion will ultimately lead to the collapse of the fascist "likes" regime.
Hanover October 21, 2015 at 16:28 ¶ #139
The reason to get rid of the likes is because they're irrelevant and we care too much about them, except me. I haven't even noticed I'm in second place behind Jamalrob, who's only winning because he set up this site.
Mongrel October 21, 2015 at 16:39 ¶ #140
@Hanover
Quoting Hanover
The reason to get rid of the likes is because they're irrelevant and we care too much about them, except me. I haven't even noticed I'm in second place behind Jamalrob, who's only winning because he set up this site.



I just mentioned and quoted Hanover. (L) And put a heart. Is there a function that counts how many times Hanover uses the word "me?"

[hide]what does hide do? Oh.. that's.. odd.[/hide]
S October 21, 2015 at 16:45 ¶ #141
Quoting Mongrel
Is there a function that counts how many times Hanover uses the word "me?"


I can just check my Hanover chart. It contains all the information that I've obsessively collected about Hanover over the years.
Mongrel October 21, 2015 at 18:10 ¶ #145
Quoting Sapientia
I can just check my Hanover chart. It contains all the information that I've obsessively collected about Hanover over the years.


Chart? Like with photos connected by pieces of yarn?
S October 21, 2015 at 18:28 ¶ #146
Quoting Mongrel
Chart? Like with photos connected by pieces of yarn?


Yes, but not just photos; it also contains various stolen belongings and discarded items: a family photo, a sock, an old toothbrush, etc. I put candles around it and use it as a shrine.
Hanover October 21, 2015 at 18:44 ¶ #147
Time spent collecting Hanover trinkets is time well spent as is time spent talking about ME.
Mongrel October 21, 2015 at 20:13 ¶ #158
Quoting Sapientia
Yes, but not just photos; it also contains various stolen belongings and discarded items: a family photo, a sock, an old toothbrush, etc. I put candles around it and use it as a shrine.


If you have any hair, I know some voodoo people.
Sir2u October 22, 2015 at 00:44 ¶ #185
If we all agree that the likes are only to be used for something like "I learned something for this post" then I see no reason not to use them. And if you don't like them just ignore them.
Human October 22, 2015 at 07:37 ¶ #222
But we don't all agree on that, and people wouldn't stick to the agreement even if we did. And it's difficult to ignore them, as they are stuck in a prominent place under our names.

No good complaining I suppose since apparently we can't get rid of them.

Jamal October 22, 2015 at 07:39 ¶ #223
I think they could encourage good behaviour.
Mayor of Simpleton October 22, 2015 at 08:50 ¶ #234
I'm not too sold on that one.

They usually encourage 'bandwagoning' and other ad populum activities.

'Likes' discourage people taking a few risks in thinking or voicing an somewhat unpopular notion and helps promote academic sterility.

Atleast the votes down are gone. That was the equivalent of a 'pseudo philosophical drive by shooting'. The philosophy of a thug and gangbanger.

Meow!

GREG
Human October 22, 2015 at 09:12 ¶ #236
I strongly agree with the Mayor about the downside of "likes".
Benkei October 22, 2015 at 19:53 ¶ #333
I strongly don't care. If there are posters whose delicate sensibilities are swayed by likes or dislikes then it's quite likely they don't have anything sensible to share, craving confirmation from the masses as they are. Those don't last on PF in the long run.

It's a non issue really.
discoii October 22, 2015 at 21:42 ¶ #340
But how will neurosis be curbed without it?
Wosret October 22, 2015 at 22:35 ¶ #343
Don't worry about it, just imagine that the standard of measure of quality judgment, even quality human being is whether or not they liked you. When someone else has five hundred likes, and you have five, this means nothing more than that there are only five quality human beings among them.
Baden October 23, 2015 at 13:51 ¶ #480
Quoting Yahadreas
The members list defaults to ordering by likes so it's effectively a leaderboard


We need to fix that default. It is naff.
Jamal October 23, 2015 at 13:55 ¶ #482
Reply to Baden I'll add it to the list in Feature requests.
Baden October 23, 2015 at 14:26 ¶ #485
Cheers.
Michael October 23, 2015 at 20:21 ¶ #557
Might be quicker to build your own forum than wait for them to add everything on your list. ;)
Jamal October 23, 2015 at 20:30 ¶ #564
They're deploying a new release in November. Not sure if they'll squeeze any of our requests in on time. Sounds like they're pretty slow and careful.
Moliere October 23, 2015 at 20:42 ¶ #570
Reply to Yahadreas Heh. I figured that it would take time. There's actually a lot of cool things this format has to offer that the old one doesn't. I was just trying to think of ways to make it feel "homey" more than anything.
_db October 26, 2015 at 23:34 ¶ #1283
I completely agree, the like/dislike option always bothered me in the past forum. It made it difficult for me to judge a submission by its worth and not by its popularity.