The reputation system...
This is a very neat feature on the forum, but one that I sadly cannot make sense of. I guess if you look at the feature in its simplicity, it's supposed to somehow signify that the person you're talking to is somehow a genuine, honest to goodness character that would make a junior-woodchuck boy-scout blush with aspiration. Or, it could signify that the person you are chatting to is a monster, spewing filth from every orifice and is generally what kids would refer to as a "mean old grumpy pants".
But when you look at the feature in real life and on a forum like this - it's sort of like a high school popularity contest all over again. The "cool kids" will generally have better a reputation. But by "better" I don't mean "good" - it just means that they are much more likely to get points to make them look good among themselves and also receive points from newbies (lackies?) trying to make it into their "click". Make no mistake, usually these "cool kids" as in high school, do and say the dumbest, inherently idiotic things imaginable - but will still get undue credit from their peers. So the whole reputation system means, as Mark Esterhuysen would say, "F-all".
The above argument goes for forumites with negative values as well. Basically, where this is to signify "trolls" and "paedophiles" to the rest of the civilized population, it now basically signifies someone who doesn't feel forced to agree with everything the "cool kids" have to say and who dares, in extreme defiance to the rules and regulations set forth by said "cool kids", to have his/her own opinion on matters.
It could also provide an easy outlet to slower individuals who cannot get back with a clever enough comeback to a clever retort. This is basically an online way of "running to mommy".
So yes, I'm pretty proud of my negative rating.
Originally Posted by Neo
