The thumbs up/down feature is not working as to comments (it still works as to posts.
As mentioned before, it’s some sort of technical glitch arising out of the “restore” that took place last week.
Apparently people have noticed because there have been many comments about it as well as emails. In fact, people seem to be somewhat emotionally invested in the issue.
We’re bringing it back as soon as we can, but I am curious what the folks think. Call it “thumb curious.”
Poll open until 5 p.m. Friday, March 22.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
I like the thumbs up/down feature. Thanks for asking us.
An emphatic YES!
As one grows old, one should endeavor to maintain a certain level of skill with regard to effective communications and feedback is one of the better indicators for measuring this.
I getting old and all too often my fingers do not reflect my brain’s intent.
I love this blog!
See I wanted to put a thumbs-up on this post (because it said very well what I also think). It’s like an applause, or a “ditto”, and more efficient than having to add to a comment that is already complete when I don’t… have anything… to add…
Thumbsup!
re: “In fact, people seem to be somewhat emotionally invested in the issue.”
Such an understatement! I’d much prefer that machetes be passed out, but distance and courtesy precludes such niceties. A visual representation of a single finger salute will suffice though, thank you!
FURTHERMORE, you want to know what else would be nice Professor? Show a running tally – something that might reflect reality where 10,000 attaboys were wiped out by one screw up! hahahaha… Then the problem child could shine like the boil on Obummers bumm!
Sorry Professor, I need to go take my meds.
I vote “Present”.
Barack? Is that you?
Let me be perfectly clear: questions like yours are above my pay grade.
I love this blog, too.
The thumbs up/down allow for instant expression – sometimes suffixing in lieu of a comment.
It’s good for seeing when a comment really connects with a lot of people. On the other hand, commenting with even partial incentive to get likes, can tend to encourage “group think”.
I’m neutral. Most here will speak their mind without much concern over thumbs downs. But it does insert a bias of sorts.
I think that people enjoy seeing how the community responds to each post. For me, I take satisfaction in knowing that logical, reasoned comments seem to get high thumbs up. Though, from time to time, I notice that even thoughtful comments that go against the grain get thumbs down. I guess that means standing up for one’s beliefs even if the majority of the community disagrees. In any case, they are helpful to those who comment, and I suspect, also to those who read them, as they act as a guide for popular commentary.
Thumbs up on Thumbs Up/Down feature. And, it’s fun.
And, it reinforces clever comments. And, I like it.
I don’t tick usually unless it is a good comment & it is looking lonely.
Never down . I would just reply.
I like to see a healthy number of downs for my posts. I prefer a reply but it is better than nothing.
I give ‘Thumbs” a thumbs up… The citizens of the Thumbverse shall not be denied, I predict.
I love it mostly because there were some really good comments today, it would be better if it were confetti…. but we need something a bit more violent to vote trolls off the island!
It’s a good way for us to pat each other on the back without using words. Some nights, I just go down the list reading and thumbs upping. That’s how good commenters on this board are.
Hehe if you are wanting something funny. Go over to the DalyMail.co .uk & check out the Bikram Chadhoury Y,PGA harassment vase.
The photo they have put up of Bikram is hilarious.
DM is terrifically funny.
Y-PGA = yoga . Autocorrect’s programmers are white males .
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Hey, what ever happened to the thumbs up/down feature on this website?
A good thumbs up or down does a body good.
Speaking of milk…
“How many times have you heard me say that profits are the mother’s milk of stocks, business success, and job creation?” Larry Kudlow
http://kudlowsmoneypolitics.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-mothers-milk.html
Unfortunately the buttons are addictive, but IMO Midwest Rhino nails it by warning about groupthink.
Yours truly, January 2012:
Yours truly, June 2012:
Too many of us were flat-out wrong about the outcome of the November election. (I was doubtful that we’d win but did not expect the results to be as definitive as they turned out.) We don’t need more magical groupthinking. The world will not beat a pathway to our door if we build a better cocoon.
I especially miss the “thumbs up”. I noticed that on some sites there is only the “thumbs up” button.
I judge my self-worth based on the number of thumbs ups I get on various websites so I’d love to see it come back.
Besides that, sometimes you just want to let someone know that they are awesome (or that they suck) but don’t feel like actually typing the words…thumbs up/down rules.
I voted “yes” to keep the thumbs up thingy. I’m reading the comments here regarding how that leads to “group think,” and while I can see how one might think that, I just don’t buy it. In fact, I don’t see that at all. The thumbs up/down system does mean that we can quietly “approve” or “disapprove” a comment, and I suppose that some people may get their feelings hurt and strive to write things that will only get “thumbs up.” But who are these people? Aren’t we conservatives? Don’t we think for ourselves? Say what we want and to hell with the fall-out? Political correctness is all about pleasing the most people and offending the fewest (or at least the ones whom it’s politically correct to offend?), and aren’t conservatives pretty fed up with that and for very good reasons? Hmph!
I’ve posted some “popular” comments here and some that have earned a fair number of “thumbs down.” But not once, not for a second, did I think, gee, I’ll have to stop speaking my mind or someone will “down twinkle” me. Naw, I leave that insecurity and desperation for approval to the Occutards and Obots.
One great thing about being a conservative is that we CAN think for ourselves, that we can disagree and do so with respect (well, okay, mostly, heh). I don’t take the thumbs thing very seriously at all, but it is nice to know when something I say “hits,” and I admit that they have a very practical use: if I’m a day or days late to the conversation, I’ll read the comments with the most thumbs up and thumbs down and skip the rest (time constraints in catching up).
That said, the only thing that makes me think about what I’ve said is a well-reasoned, logical, and polite response. If I’m off-base or missed something or whatever, I’m not averse to admitting it or to conceding a point or two. That’s where the comments themselves come into play. But that’s a whole other discussion.
I agree. I don’t buy that idea of “groupthink” at all.
They stopped allowing doctors to take cash incentives (iirc) for giving certain drugs (funded by the reps), but I think allowed meals. But my doctor nephew said that even meals introduced a bias, they later found.
It doesn’t mean they are bad doctors or we have shallow posters, bias is just a reality of the human condition.
But as I said, it introduces “an element” of bias, which we should be aware of and not pretend we are immune to “group think”. It also introduces an element of encouragement to make insightful comments rather than the standard talking points.
Sadly, money changes everything. I’d probably write what Professor Jacobson wanted if he tossed some cash my way. 😉
That said, we know that peer pressure is real and that people, generally speaking, like to fit in. I just can’t see that being a huge player on something as banal as posting a comment on a blog (no matter how fabulous the blog and its readers).
I just can’t see that being a huge player on something as banal as posting a comment on a blog (no matter how fabulous the blog and its readers).
Bless you, Fuzzy, you have a better opinion of human nature than I do.
I don’t agree. For example, I recall how Kathleen McCaffrey was mobbed after she expressed mild reservations about—mild reservations about, mind you, not opposition to—Sarah Palin.
Not to inflate the matter out of proportion, but IMHO the volatile nature of Internet discourse makes the downside of comment rating outweigh the upside.
right … that is my point about something as “banal” as doctors getting sandwiches for diverting to a more expensive drug. Bias is not something we can control. Remember the leftist media probably thinks they are so professional they can be far left, but unbiased in their “journalism”.
Posting our “religious” beliefs on forums is communicating our essence, (for those of us not getting filthy rich off blogging 😉 ), so the thumbs thing has major influence. It is the essence of Facebook’s success.
I usually get a lot of thumbs up … but when I said that those that use the morning after pill should not be executed for murder of a “two cell citizen”/zygote (OK, I may be slightly misstating “your” position 😉 ), I really didn’t want to pursue the topic further. I had become evil incarnate, I’ve got other places to go, despite the very valid points (I think).
Beyond that, I want to introduce alternative views for the sake of sharpening “our” edge, and getting slammed with bad thumbs can hurt dialogue.
It may well be that the best ideas need to be flushed out here, and they could be nipped in the bud (Barney Fife) if overwhelmed with bad thumbs.
Anyway .. this, as many of my posts, is “anti-groupthink”, and freely expressed without “PC thumb” interference.
Like I said at first .. I am neutral on thumbs. But don’t underestimate the intimidation that the left has wielded so successfully in their PC world. We are influenced by each other … which is a good thing, but I don’t want to be “married” to you all with thumb rings. And now I’ve gone too far. 🙂
to clarify, the “best ideas” to be flushed out here could initially seem very negative … “thumbs down, shut up you racist bigot”. But if it comes from “us” … everyone should read without seeing a flurry of thumbs down as initial reaction to an “un-populist” view.
I remember that post and the discussion it provoked. But those were comments, substantive comments, not a thumbs up or down button. Moderating civil discourse is a whole separate question/issue (one that the Prof handles quite well).
@Midwest Rino. I’d so “thumbs down” that comment. Hehe.
yeah, even in that one thread comments were mostly fair, with some understandable emotion. I’m just overstating the case as exhibit A of “jury tampering” via thumbs. The purest response from the wise people here, to a provocative post, might come if there is no thumb influence.
But we all want to be loved for our comments, and it binds us together a little I suppose. 🙂
Ever the science nerd, I’m more concerned that my posts are the product of reason and logic than that they be ‘popular’ with strangers (joke comments aside). Bear in mind that anyone may like or Dislike a comment, including unregistered drive-by readers drawn in by a link elsewhere on the innertubes, that is, I might enjoy a plethora of Likes on a given comment, but they might have come from drive-by liberals. Yikes!
I think it may go understated how many people simply like to feel personally validated in their posted positions by the number of Likes they receive, a sort of ego massage.
Sort of on topic: I’ve noticed lately that a lot of sites are allowing a thumbs up vote (up arrow/like) without registering or logging in, but prevent a thumbs down vote unless signed in. Don’t like it. Please don’t do it here. Also, please keep the cumulative tally of ups and downs. I dislike sites that cancel the votes out, meaning one up subtracts a down vote and vise versa.
The signatures on the US Constitution was the result of “group think.”
Just sayin’
I like the thumbs up/down option. As for group think, nah, although once in a great while when I find I’m out of sync with a post (because of the number of thumbs up or down that disagree with me), I’ll go back and reread the post. Sometimes I find that I’ve misunderstood the post. I like that. I would have missed some great thinking.
just that you would even ask is very nice.
I appreciated the feature, its not critical but was a nice touch.