Thumbs up/Thumbs down?

Question

Is it not the case that as you become familiar with Avatars and their comments that regardless of what they say you will give Thumbs down/thumbs up on principal? I have read comments that actually are so bland they don't say anything and yet it will have a bunch of thumbs down. Later, I will see the same contributor saying something controversial and they will have exactly the same amount of thumbs. I am only talking about the environmental section here (50% environ and 50% mental it seems to me)

So, for example, if a well known pro AGW believer suddenly said that global warming was caused by Al gore as an excuse to take over the country and that it was nothing more than a scam, and anyway it was snowing outside so where is the global warming theory now? I bet that all the deniers would give a thumbs down before they had even read or understood what was being said. And before you all go off the deep end....Take a deep breath, in with the good air....aaahhhhh

Answer 1

I only give a thumbs down for a stupid answer. Or for one that is obviously wrong...Has nothing to do with one's avatar...

  Some people give thumbs down just to be mean.

Answer 2

I don't worry about thumbs up or thumbs down because they're not worth any points.

Answer 3

You are correct.  A perfect example is this question where a person asked "what the heck does 'AGW' stand for?".

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

I answered "Anthropogenic global warming" and immediately got 2 thumbs-down, even though this answer is correct.  Town_cl0wn commented how ridiculous it was that I was given 2 thumbs-down for this (and I added a comment about it), but anytime I answer a question I can basically guarantee I'll get at least 2 thumbs-down.

Ironically, I happen to know that one of the people who gives me an automatic thumbs-down is Jello, who has answered this question playing the role of an innocent victim.  Some people play point games with Y!A, using multiple accounts to give thumbs-up/down and vote for themselves as 'best answer'.  Several times I've caught Jello with 20+ 'best answer' votes where nobody else got more than 2 votes, and believe me, his answer was not deserving of 20+ votes.  That's how he became 'top answerer' in this section.

Basically when people can't make a decent argument, they try to simulate credibility by any means possible, whether that be cheating the system to become a 'top answerer' or awarding oneself a doctoral degree.

I'll admit that there are certain people who I almost always give a thumbs-down, but this only because they almost always give terrible answers.  I always read an answer before giving thumbs, and have given thumbs-ups to global warming deniers when they have given quality answers.

Answer 4

I agree with the thought that the "believers" and "deniers" both give each other the thumbs up/down regardless of what's being said.  

It's actually quite funny to see comments that are based on common sense being given either an up/down rating simply because it goes against the personal feelings someone has - even if the thought really makes sense.  

Oh well...rational thought often gets left out of answers given in this section...

Answer 5

It happens.  Some people have admitted that they don't read my answers.  They just give me the obligatory thumbs down and move on.

Then there are those that report every answer you post specifically to get you kicked off Yahoo!.  Unfortunately it works.

Answer 6

Yes I noticed this too. The Global Warming section seems to be a great example of this. I guess that there is a very clear cut distinction between being a AGW believer and not so it has become automatic for some to do this.

There also seems to be an unusually high number of thumbs up and thumbs down in the Global Warming section that is totally disproportional to the number of answerers. It could mean that lots of people read the questions but do not answer. However I have a suspicion that this may be because some people have many accounts and are using these to negatively change the 'chances' of others. My opinion only.

Answer 7

ah 'huh,...and your question IS ? ? ?

Answer 8

I only give a “thumbs down” when an answer is obviously bogus, or if there are no sources when there should be, or if the source of one of the many "think tanks" that being funded by ExxonMobil.

Answer 9

Me, I read them, all of them especially the avatars I know. If I;  disagree, it is a dumb answer, or they use name calling I give a thumbs down (even if they are a denier or skeptic) . If I; agree, it is a really intelligent answer, or it is a really smart-*** answer to a dumb or insulting question as much as it hurts I will give a thumbs up. Sometimes I even give props in an edit.