| Why have the system at all?
It *can* be used as a method of giving people feedback on what they write. Anonymity *can* serve a valuable function in permitting that.
However, the system can be - and widely seems to be - misused (as per Bren's examples) and sometimes seems to degenerate into a popularity contest or petty, vindictive personal point scoring and even on one occasion threats (that's where I'd agree with the 'cowardly' tag).
I'd have to agree with Doug. People take it much too seriously. How many posts have we seen about red or green blobs since the system was introduced? How many people have we seen getting upset about it? Does it actually add anything to YD?
While the rep system is there I'll use it, but I think it would be beneficial to everyone if the damn thing was just switched off.
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that voodoo stuff don't do nuthin' for me |