Gender and Women's Studies: Why do you give thumbs down?

Question

I know this is a stupid out of context question. So don't even go there...thank you very much. :-)

But it attracts my attention about the frequency of thumbs down here. So I have several questions:

1- Why or when do you give thumbs down?
2- It is a gender issue, or because you despise a certain contributor?
3- What is the point? Do you think it makes a difference?
4- Do you use it as a way of "harassment"?
5- Should we ask Yahoo to get rid (sp?) of the thumbs down?

Other?

Jackalito: You KNOW why you get thumbs down. It is not because you are a man. Nevertheless, this is the internet, how we are going to be sure who you are? No offence meant, just an observation. The internet is still not real life.

Signed

The Horse

AGM-114 Hellfire

LOL

I knew this would come back sooner or later.

You need "Anger Management"

;-)

Just that everybody knows, I am giving EVERYBODY thumbs up, just because they are answering. It is like saying: "Thanks for taking your time".

AGM-114 Hellfire

LOL

My English is not so basic, and you know this. Bad response, you get a Z (lol) You still have time to give me a better answer.
No candy for you (lol)

Answer 1

If I give a thumbs down - and I don't do it often - it's because either the answer in question was completely out of line with the question.

When people respond to questions about - for instance - a hysterectomy - with a "go F yourself" I think it deserves a thumbs down. Same applies to people who post answers that are simply argumentative or insulting like "I did you mother this morning."

I don't think it makes a single bit of difference to the person who posted the obnoxious answer, but it makes me feel just a teeny tiny bit better for a moment.

I don't report answers like that because as much as I don't like the content it's still speech - which should be free and uncensored, even when I don't like it.

Answer 2

1) I give a thumbs down when I view the answer as a bad answer. Either because I know facts to the contrary or if the answer is unrelated to the question. Like the answerer misread the question or something along those lines.

2) Nope
3) It does make a difference. Especially in areas that aren't like 1+1 = 2. There's no exact answer, just observations and opinions/claims. It gives a sense of how many people agree or disagree with said answer. In the end, it may assist the asker in their mission.

4) Nope
5) Definitely not. Some answers are so absolutely retarded that I'm glad they auto-minimize at -5 thumbs. Although, most of the time I'm too curious to not look at it anyway.

Answer 3

Flying,

I dunno...I think perhaps folks are taking 'thumbs' way too seriously. I pay them no mind, and rarely 'thumb' myself, but for the sake of discussion:

1. I'll only rate a 'down' when I know for a fact that the answerer's argument is terribly flawed, or when the response is born out of sheer stupidity (hate filled responses apply here).

2. It's certainly NOT a gender issue...I've found without a doubt that stupidity affects both men and women equally.

3. As I've stated before, no point. I think it would make more SENSE if we were allowed a few characters to qualify the rating...I don't see it happenin'.

4. Harassment? Nah.

5. They put it there for a reason, I suppose, no matter how inane. I wouldn't really care one way or another.

Answer 4

1. I give a thumbs down if I think an answer is tasteless. It has nothing to do with gender. There are a few women on this forum who I think "just don't get it".
2. I despise no one.
3. It might make a difference to Y!A.
4. I harass no one.
5. Leave in the Thumbs Up and Down. It tells the contributor what everyone thinks of their answer, for good or bad.

Answer 5

The question presupposes that we know the gender of the contributor. It seems important for people to identify themselves by gender in here and I always wonder why.
I give thumbs up, although they appear as numbers to me for some reason, and I give thumbs down based on the way the answer is written, how convincing it is or how irrelevant. Plus I look at the number of votes. Sometimes it's easy; sometimes it's hard. I don't think anything should be eliminated just because some people have agendas that preclude intelligence. They're everywhere. Their votes don't really matter.

Answer 6

i dont see the sense in thumbs down .. however if the answer is completely mean or just plain unhelpful i will occasionally give the thumbs down due to the answer and regardless of gender etc. as i think what was the point in taking part to be unkind to the individual who asked for help in the first place .. x

Answer 7

1. When I disagree with the person or they express their ideas hatefully.

2. No and no.. Just because I disagree with them.

3. It can be useful, some people like to give untrue information to the asker.. I also use it ifsomeone said pretty much exactly what I was going to say, so I don't have to repeat them. Other than that not really, its kinda pointless. But there are countless pointless things in life, why question them?

4. No, lol.

5. Theres no point in doing so.

Answer 8

It's not a stupid question. Trust me. I've seen stupid questions here and this isn't one of them.

1. I'll give thumbs up or down to answers I feel strongly about if I see "my" viewpoint is losing in the total count. Or if the answer is very well explained or very stupid.

2. Not gender or personality based. I'm surprised how many trolls I give thumzup to because they're funny.

3. No point. No difference.

4. No. I don't harass people. I don't care enough to do so.

5. I wouldn't ask Yahoo to get rid of thumbs up/down. They don't deduct points, so what difference does it make?

I would do away with blocking. If you haven't got the courage of your convictions and can't stand/are afraid of people who disagree with you, you don't belong here.

Answer 9

I don't rate someone based on their gender, but if their answer is out of context or that if it's just plain dumb.
I like the thumbs up, thumbs down thing, because it lets you know that other people agree or disagree with you.

Answer 10

1. I thumb down when people make false claims. This would include claims such as ''XXYY does not exist'' when it does. So, I'll give a thumb down for stuff like this. I usually don't thumb people down for their opinions.

2. Nah. I ALWAYS read what a person has to say even if I dislike him/her. If you thumb down someone without reading what they say, then you might have thumbed down something which you agreed with.

3. No, no difference except that it will affect to what appears to be the general consensus of said issue.

4. No.

5. No. It's also been suggested several times and Yahoo! has no plans to remove thumbs.

Other? Yes. In a question I said some Jews were Nazis in WW2, you then, in another answer, said you ''researched'' it and thought I was lying/joking, but I'm not.
Read this: http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/righit.html
The source is educational so it should be good. I suggest you buy the book and read all about it if you don't believe me. Next time, use http://www.google.com to research your stuff, seriously.

EDIT:
Now you see, WHY the heck would I get a thumb down for this unless:
- someone singles me out,
- I'm a man?

EDIT:
Just answer this please: how am I being angry?