DocAndersen
“rainy days and downvotes never get me down.”
An author I respect and a reader that isn’t on this site both asked me yesterday, one in an email and one in a comment, why all the downvotes. I honestly have a guess, but I don’t know for sure. I do know that if my opinion is right or wrong, I still don’t care about the downvotes. Feel free to continue downvoting the only impact that has on me is the number of times I can stop and laugh. Downvoting is a form of civil discourse. I am entirely comfortable if someone doesn’t like what I said or if they don’t like a picture I’ve shared. It is perfectly acceptable to say I don’t like or agree with this and downvote. As I said, the number of downvotes makes me laugh, but the action is understood.
The view curve has flattened a bit more than it had, but we seem overall stable now. That is a perfect sign. During January, we continued downward. We are up a little from that low point. I have spent a lot of time looking at and reviewing information on the internet in the past couple of days as part of a work project. In so doing, I have found something exciting things. One of them is the reality of anger management. I know that many people struggle with the concept of anger management. We and I include myself in that bucket; all reach a point where we lose our tempers. It is part of life to lose our tempers. All of us at one time or another have done it.
The question isn’t, and the healthy recommendations I’ve read over the past few days is can you put that anger down. Can you walk away from that anger? Mental Health professionals tell us two things: we all operate from a mixed bag. The other thing Mental Health professionals often say is that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results each time. Operating from a mixed bag means that we all have emotional baggage that we carry with us. We have things that make us uncomfortable. That is where we start. Sometimes we can’t put aside the bag of goodies we brought with us, and it forces us to remain in place. Sometimes we can. It is the reality of humans. You see, one of the definitions of human beings losing touch with reality is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. But because we operate from a mixed bag, sometimes we do the same things, and the results are different.
We don’t expect to explode or get frustrated, but we do.
Let’s say something beautiful to someone today!
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Question of
Down voting is a fine way to disagree! Do you agree with that?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you let go of things?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Is it ok to walk away from conflict?
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Yes
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No
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Honestly I don’t think I have noticed a down vote on my post. However, When I joined this site I had trouble with the buttons and I would down vote someone then try to upvote them, and confess my mistake. LOL My clumsiness gets ahead of me at times. Now I am cautious.
i have a guess who is doing it, since you can upvote and downvote posts without being a member. you just can comment on posts. if my guess is right I am delighted to have downvotes only!
Wow how would you know who is doing it if they are not even members here? I couldn’t care less either ways.
because the downvotes can be done by a non (or banned) member. And they started the day after something happened.
as I said I don’t know for sure but I can speculate.
Okay, I get it now. I need to check if I have downvotes.
you will – check this post tomorrow all of these will be downvoted. Ergo my new video game.
My current high score is 23. I am hoping to shatter that!!!
Q: DOWN VOTING IS A FINE WAY TO DISAGREE! DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
Yes (8 votes) – 89%
No (1 votes) – 11%
Q: DO YOU LET GO OF THINGS?
Yes (5 votes) – 71%
No (2 votes) – 29%
Q: IS IT OK TO WALK AWAY FROM CONFLICT?
Yes (9 votes) – 90%
No (1 votes) – 10%
I never pay attention to the downvote but IMO if you don’t like something just simply skip the post instead of downvote. Personally for me, if I don’t upvote a post already shown that I’m not that interested, so there’s no point of downvote for me 🙂
that is a very positive way- i like that! thank you for sharing that.
Hey, Doc what is with all the downvotes? It seems very strange to me. Is someone just being mean and disagreeable or what? I would like it if you found out for sure and let us all know and then I could start downvoting them. I don’t think this is a very nice way to be at all.
well, first of all, I have no way to figure out who it is. I can speculate and many people have speculated as to who is doing this.
it is probably someone that is very angry. I do agree with you that it isn’t nice to do. But I suspect in the heart of anger it is hard to see a better way.
I’ve already received the “down” button a few times. At first I was a little “shocked” but then I ignored it. Everyone has their own opinion and I respect that.
Communities are built as an ecosystem, downvotes are something at this point i just ignore.
Ignore such negative people. Because another would not do that.
i agree and I do, although i was thinking of starting a contest!
Ignore it. If you pay attention, it will be bad.
i agree and I do ignore them!
I do not use the down button. It can sometimes be inadvertent or in a hurry. I have no exact opinion on this.
Inadvertent would be nice. But there are 12 downvotes on this post alone. I am sad to say it is a person with a vendetta.
I have learned to walk away from many situations. Honestly I think the up and down votes could be removed. Not necessary if you comment.
they are already all over this post. Funny really. i like that idea Ellie had something similar.
Yes I agree with her, as usual.
i do wonder if we should ask the admins to remove them, (up and downvotes for comments).
we’ve had nothing but comment issues since Feb of this year.
Good luck with that project.
well i didn’t say it was going to be easy, it is a long term project. Do you think that makes sense though? to ask them to remove those buttons? I would ask the community first.
I have been thinking of the up/downvoting systems on sites a lot. On one hand, it’s understandable that not everyone likes or agrees with everything and this voting system is for people to express their views. On the other hand, it generally creates some unnecessary negativity for both parties. I personally prefer a format where you either “give a like” or move on.
i suspect the downvoter is very frustrated right now, ergo the downvotes here on the site. But i do like your system a lot!
That’s okay, but if someone wants to achieve a change, in my opinion, some constructive criticism could be more effective than a downvote.
i agree but the requirement first is the civil discourse. It is ok to disagree with someone.
I had to answer no, yes and YES! I do not like the down vote button. I complained about that when the implemented the buttons. At least it doesnt take away points, and honestly I never notice for some reason. That video game is not for me. Temper you say? Red heads do not have bad tempers..promise… 😉 Although I am a pro at walking away from conflict. Hiding from it at times. I can take a lot but there is that point. Raising two boys by myself I do know how to pull out the ole drill sergeant. Good article!
i only notice when someone points it out to me, In this case an author here, and a good friend only pointed them out!
lol I noticed these though. One for me and one for you. How odd. giggles.
Oh dear, I just noticed that everyone who commented on your post got down voted. Dang man, someone is upset. silly stuff. lol
i think i lost my upvote mojo!
i set a new goal of 30 and if I make that goal I am buying myself a new gadget!
i downvote your stuff all the time 🙂
past tells still bugs me!
LOL, on both comments. Yes, the upvote mojo is lacking. Again, darn it! lol
So, its you!!! hahaha, thank you for the gigle.
Dear Doc, you always forget that I need a sometimes button. Consistency is not my strong point. I don’t even pay attention to a downvote. Sometimes I love ice cream and sometimes I don’t. (That statement probably only makes sense to me. Oh well, today perhaps I am all about me!)
well then sometimes I will add a sometimes button!
Really, because that would be so cool!
i will start adding the sometimes button.
Now how in the heck can you only like ice cream sometimes? I mean ok I dig not liking it for breakfast.
but other than that….