It has come to Our notice that there are a lot more thumbs-up being scattered around than in recent weeks. Two possible explanations:

• The quality of top-posts has significantly improved; or
• People are just handing them out on a partisan basis without regard to merit.

I got my theory.

it does make one wonder just exactly who abuses the rating system, does it not?

yours truly,
nanny

I happily give thumbs-up for posts that are well-written and are 'speaking for me' in appreciation for author's efforts.
Isn't that what the rating system is for??????????

And, wots wrong that that??????

You get too many thumbs out there, and the value of a thumb is diminished. Thumb inflation. It renders them meaningless.

Our own policy is to give out one thumbs-up per day. Some days none at all. Often, We will downrate posts with which We agree but violate some cardinal rule, like pure C&Ps, or posts that consist solely of <link>.

At the moment, thumbs are merely an indication of partisan support for a position on the BOTF (which is meaningless), rather than an indication of a post worth reading..

Seems to me that some people have more than their fair share of thumbs.

ellens cuddly kittens:

I happily give thumbs-up for posts that are well-written and are 'speaking for me' in appreciation for author's efforts. Isn't that what the rating system is for?????????? And, wots wrong that that??????

Urquhart:

You get too many thumbs out there, and the value of a thumb is diminished. Thumb inflation. It renders them meaningless.

Our own policy is to give out one thumbs-up per day. Some days none at all. Often, We will downrate posts with which We agree but violate some cardinal rule, like pure C&Ps, or posts that consist solely of <link>.

At the moment, thumbs are merely an indication of partisan support for a position on the BOTF (which is meaningless), rather than an indication of a post worth reading..

I wasn't aware of the one thumbs up per day policy.

Stop being the thumbs up police, what is it to you anyways?

cheezus.

so true. I've enjoyed using them nyself and laughing all the way..as I watch the bots seemingly frantic drive to use them like little squirrels with nuts doll them out as if...it matters at all.

Good point.

Thumbs-ups *in* appreciation of other poster's efforts have no daily quota restriction that I was aware of and (speaking only for myself) I ofte read many posts, for days at a time ,without even thinking of rating them.

Who is "our" pray tell, and are you (God Forbid!) here with this little admonition as a representative of Slate's editorial board?

One last question: what BETTER reason is there to give post a positive rating than in support of the sentiments of said post?

You gotta get you some new subjects.

Just the other day I was telling you how interesting and entertaining this election cycle is. While that hasn't really changed I find myself getting really grumpy every time I visit the halls of BOTF. The blindly reactive partisanship is a real downer, man. Everybody's so heavily invested in the outcome that nobody can concede even the tiniest point. It's like an inverted bell curve with the center empty and everybody jammed in a couple sigmas out in one direction or the other.

Weird.

On topic: I got no problem handing out a thumbs-up to a post with which I strongly disagree... provided it's well-written or entertaining.

from someone who can put up three dumb posts on the same page.

There is a glut of partisan hacks here also, who often post more than one always predictable version of their same old, same old, spin, day in, day out, every day of the year but Christmas.

"Nosce te Ipsum" Urquhart the Hypocrite.

is there another finger you might prefer that people use?

:-)

OK, I'm grumpy, but that made me laugh!