Why are there so many thumbs down in Books and Authors?

Question

Very recently I saw a best answer made available on Yahoo's home page about a dollar bill; that answer got 131 thumbs up. 131. That was in 'other--business and finance.' I don't think it's terribly unusual there. They help each other.
Why do I rarely see any answer on any question in this category with even 1, even 2 thumbs up?
Why don't we support each other when we see good in someone else's answer?
We can still offer our own. Why not give thumbs up to folks whose answers we admire? I do. Do you?
As soon as the thumbs counted for points, many stopped using them. Thumbs down are to be reserved for a wrong answer. Thumbs up should be shared among us, building each other up, giving credit where credit is due.
The business people will log in 131 thumbs up to an answer they like. Think of that.
Now please, tell what you think is happening in Books and Authors. Why don't we help each other using thumbs up?
Thanks for answering, and good day to you!

Thumbs up to all those who anwered this question with such care and thought... thank you again. I wish I could give you all 'best answer,' though since a lot of you gave others thumbs up (which I'd hoped for), a lot of you have garnered over or nearly 10 pts anyway! I've been warned it's hard to choose a best answer, and so it is. Please keep on rewarding those answers that you yourself find rewarding, even as you enter an answer. Big thanks...

Answer 1

There is a great deal of opinion involved. Many people give thumbs down to answers they don't agree with. B&A is full of hypothetical questions, "do you like my story" questions, "don't you love Twilight" questions... (On a side note, I got a lot of thumbs down in the Twilight questions, because I don't gush. I answer with some thought about why I liked it, why I didn't like it, and why I would recommend it as well as who I would recomend it to. People were asking them to gush, and wanted more gushing.) All of these offer answers that people may or may not like. I will only pull a thumbs down answer if I feel the person answering is disrespectful when saying something I disagree with, and sometimes even when I do agree. I don't give thumbs up for people who call the asker "stupid, callous, morons," etc. I thumb those down. No one comes here to be insulted, whether or not the rest of the answer is good.

People tend to be far more critical in this section too, we've got a lot more people who are "scholarly" (not necessarily scholars, I know that I am fairly proficient in this section, but I don't spend all of my time philosophizing about books. Most, but not all.)

I think, too, that the way an answer is worded is really huge in this area. If it's a great answer, but with grammar and spelling mistakes across the board, people give up reading it, and especially in this section, people think you should be grammatically correct.

And, if they give a list, and the people don't like some of the authors or books you mentioned, they'll thumb down your answer. Opinion. Everyone has a right to one, but why they're taking it out on the people with slight differences here, I'll never know.

There are few thumbs up in many of the specific answers when they refer to a specific book. I can't tell if the answer is right or wrong if I haven't read the book. Or both books, if it's a comparison. With as much as I read, I will never read EVERYTHING. I almost wish I could, but then I wouldn't have anything new.

I think because some people cut and paste answers from previous questions, others get irritated with seeing the same answer, and thumb it down. I often forget that just because I have seen this answer a million times does not mean that the asker has. I don't thumb them down, just ignore them. It just feels like you're getting preached at about that one particular answer, and nobody really likes preaching on Answers.

And people carry grudges. I'm not saying that they turn into trolls, but people on the top answerer list, or like Persiphone_hellecat above, they'll feel snubbed by an answer to their question, and take it out on other answers. Or they just feel like the top answerers think of themselves as feeling "high and mighty" over the masses, and thumb down people because they're jealous. When really, they've just worked harder and longer at it than most of us here.

All in all, I freely give my thumbs away, though usually in the upward direction. Ever since I earned the privilege, I use it. I don't know why so many others don't.

Answer 2

Honestly, i always give thumbs up especially to a very good answers. If only i could give five thumbs up i will give it to that person so long as it is deserving and due to him. It seems some are really jealous or don't want to accept that there are really good answers better than yours. So a thumbs up must be due to that person. I don't have any problem with that. Some do not even care whether it is good or bad. What a person knows is to give all answers a thumbs down to appear that his own person is the best. I have experienced that in my question. The last person who answered makes the thumbs down given the fact you monitor your answers to your question.

I believe what we need is to be responsible and act decency on this site. We must be matured enough to follow the community guidelines. We must be intelligent enough to act what is proper for the benefit of a good community site. But it seems this could not be attained since we have all the freedom to do what we want. Unless we report the violations committed.

It is high time for us to act together. I agree with you my friend.

Thanks for asking. Have a great day!

Answer 3

By definition Books & Authors has more room for opinion than Business & Finance. I think there are a lot of people who automatically give a thumbs down - here - when they see a title they don't like (for instance, if someone asks for a list of good books). On the other hand, they may see a list they really like EXCEPT for one book and that one prevents them from giving a thumbs up.

So, I think it's OPINION instead of fact that does it.

If I see an answer I think is a good one, I'll give the thumbs up to it. Sometimes I'll even give a thumbs up to one that I think is okay, but has unfairly been given a thumbs down. I reserve the thumbs down for something that is really wrong. Even then, I might forgo it depending on what it is. There was one that asked for a list of books written by authors of a certain nationality. I didn't give thumbs down, even though some of the answers included authors from the wrong nationality. However, if a question asks "what era was Gone with the Wind set in" and someone answers that it is set in the Middle Ages in Ireland, I'd probably give it a thumbs down!

I agree with you, though. We SHOULD encourage each other more by voting thumbs up on good answers!

Addition: I agree with Jelly that the ones who get SO MANY thumbs up or down are usually featured questions.

Answer 4

I, personally give out 95% thumbs up on a daily basis. Whenever I see an answer that I feel thoroughly answers the question than I give them a thumbs up. Then, there are other times when their answers are completely wrong. Since I'm not to extrememly educated in publishing and such than when 'I' say that they're wrong, than they must be noticebly wrong.

Some people say that the books and authors section is bitter, and slightly greedy. Well, that is probably true for some of us, but others really want to help people, and find help themselves...

Answer 5

I had no idea thumbs up counted for points. I've been giving them both ways. Anyway, It is true that many people are jealous of others and give thumbs down, it's sad but that's how it seems to be.

Answer 6

I just started participating in Yahoo Answers and learned the hard way that I'm not able to give thumbs up or down yet. As soon as I am able, I will give thumbs up to great answers. It encourages a positve atmosphere. The point thing aside, I think that it would make someone feel good to know that a stranger read their answer and thought it was deserving of a thumbs up :)

Answer 7

The thumbs up or down is supposed to be used to call attention to the very good answers or to tell folks someone has it completely wrong. I treat it that way, anyway.

I thumb up the good answers and I thumb down the totally wrong ones. If I'm not sure, I don't do either. Oh, and like Persiphone, I star interesting questions--and I pay attention to the ones she's starred because she picks good ones.

Stars are far more important, in my opinion, than thumbs.

Answer 8

I think most of us fancy ourselves as part of the literary elite, and those people are often introverted and opinionated. It makes sense that someone who is a devoted follower of Books and Authors would be more willing to criticize than to praise.

If I find an answer I truly agree with, I give a thumbs up and don't even answer the question, since that person did it for me. Sometimes I will simply answer to voice my opinion that that person has the best answer.

I give thumbs down to answers that are truly bad, or wrong. Oh, and sometimes if an answer makes me laugh I give it a thumbs up.

Answer 9

It got 131 thumbs up because it was featured on the main page, and everyone got to see it. If it was not, it would have 0-4 thumbs up like the average best answer in every category.

Answer 10

I consider the thumbs up like paying it forward ...great movie...

anyway - it's a great feeling when I know my answer has helped, either by the best answer or the thumbs up, and since you can't really say thanks to that person I consider that if i can pass along a thumbs up to someone else I'm passing the 'goodness' along.