We should not downvote a comment simply because we disagree with it.
This sounds great in theory, but other communities have applied that policy with terrible results. Whether I agree with something or not is the only information I have as to whether it’s true/wise, and that should be the main factor determining score. Excluding disagreement as grounds for downvoting leaves only presentation, resulting in posts that are eloquent, highly rated, and wrong. Those are mental poison.
When someone honestly presents their position, and is open to discussing it further, there is no need to down vote their comment for being wrong. In fact, it is counterproductive. By discouraging them from expressing their incorrect position, you do not cause them to relinquish it. By instead explaining why you think it is wrong, you help them to adopt a better position. And if it happens that they were right and you were wrong, then you have the opportunity to learn something.
I tend to down vote comments that are off topic, incoherent, arrogant, or present a conclusion without support.
I tend to up vote comments when they are eloquent, insightful, and correct, or sometimes, when they say pretty much what I was planning to say.
This sounds great in theory, but other communities have applied that policy with terrible results. Whether I agree with something or not is the only information I have as to whether it’s true/wise, and that should be the main factor determining score. Excluding disagreement as grounds for downvoting leaves only presentation, resulting in posts that are eloquent, highly rated, and wrong. Those are mental poison.
When someone honestly presents their position, and is open to discussing it further, there is no need to down vote their comment for being wrong. In fact, it is counterproductive. By discouraging them from expressing their incorrect position, you do not cause them to relinquish it. By instead explaining why you think it is wrong, you help them to adopt a better position. And if it happens that they were right and you were wrong, then you have the opportunity to learn something.
I tend to down vote comments that are off topic, incoherent, arrogant, or present a conclusion without support.
I tend to up vote comments when they are eloquent, insightful, and correct, or sometimes, when they say pretty much what I was planning to say.