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comment by b_b
b_b  ·  3893 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Downvotes *are* bad for the community.

That's true, but there's nothing necessary about displaying the votes, is there?





kleinbl00  ·  3893 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I suspect participation is higher when the outcome is visible. I have nothing to back that up other than gut feeling, though.

Might be a fun experiment - turn off the wheels for a week and see what happens.

b_b  ·  3893 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Probably. Everyone likes a gold star. I used to cringe at the students who proudly accepted their perfect attendance award at the end of the school year. Arbitrary awards are the worst kind. And internet voting is nothing if not arbitrary. (I secretly hope this comment gets a billion upvotes and a badge.)