Does the number of recs influence your decision to rec/unrecommend?

[FlyingSquirrel]

So I lied about posting my last thread on the issue, sue me.

Be honest (those of you who have that ability). It's my opinion that we're witnessing a snowball effect - that people have quickly learned that they are unable to influence the end result and so at a certain point they don't bother to recommend a thread which is at < 0 and is on the same subject that consistently garners < 0 recs; and that they don't bother to unrecommend a thread which is already on the GP with a certain number of recs.

Therefore a thread continues to be recommended by the majority, however slim that majority is, while the minority doesn't bother to unrecommend it and so it gains a large number of recs and the appearance of expressing the view of a much larger majority than it really has.

A minority opinion thread is of course doomed from the start. This might change if we could actually see votes on either side instead of just the grand total.

What say ye honest folks?

[masuki bance]

1. I'll see you in court. nt

[leftstreet]

2. Rec results should be delayed for those of us on the west coast!!

[PretzelWarrior]

7. lolololol

[Trajan]

3. Other

Sometimes

[lapfog_1]

4. I only unrecommend threads about rec/unrec - n/t

[canetoad]

5. Other

If I enjoy a performance, I applaud it. If I don't enjoy it, I don't boo and hiss, but stay silent.

[MADem]

6. I recommend if the topic is interesting and well written--even if I don't agree with the premise at

times. If the discussion in the thread is good, and all sides are going at it and thrashing out a good back-n-forth, I'll hit the rec button.

If, OTOH, the thread is idiotic, touting a poorly written and crappily thought-out view, or if it's xenophobic, borderline racist, unprogressive, self-serving, or simply d-u-m-b, I like having that UNREC button handy.

Already the Greatest Page looks like something this forum should be proud to call "greatest." No more mindless bashing, angry screeds, or self-indulgent horseshit.

Like Martha sez, it's a good thing....

[elocs]

9. Agreed. It's nice to see threads recced that are actually well written and well thought out.

We've all seen threads like "Impeach Bush!!" end up with 100 Recs and be on the Front Page. Then we have DUers with so many fans who will eagerly Rec any thread they post. Under this system the threads that are truly the greatest will get there, just with not as many fluff Recs.

[camera obscura]

8. Lately I've been reccing threads I wouldn't typically, if I feel they've been mass unrecced unfairly

It does seem like any topic that qualifies as "unpopular" is getting very swiftly <0'd.

[demoleft]

10. i never UNrecommend, and i do rec independently of figures. n/t

[theHandpuppet]

11. Every time you post another thread about this you're being a hypocrite

Talking about suppression of free speech and discussion... every time you post another of these tediously repetitive threads YOU push someone else's discussion from the front page of GD -- so in essence YOU are casting an "unrecommend" on someone else's thread. YOU are deciding that your pet topic is more important than someone else's. I'm only sorry to say that even offering you my opinion on your incessant grandstanding keeps this thread afloat. Hopefully people will soon tire of your self-important game so we can get back to real discussions and you won't be pushing anyone else's threads off GD in the name of defending free speech.

[Obamanaut]

12. For a topic with little or no substance or social redeeming value,

a single poster should only be allowed to initiate a single thread on that topic - Michael Jackson's death, Susan Boyle feels bad, unrec, etc.

and btw, unrec

[madrchsod]

13. i recommend what i feel is worth recommending

i do`t waste my time unrecommending

[NoPasaran]

14. I unrec everything I don't recommend

Guess how this thread rated

[TexasObserver]

15. Likewise. There are a lot more threads deserving Unrecommend than deserving Recommend

Half the threads here are mindless throw-aways, such as this one.

[qb]

16. I feel sorry for the '<0' threads so I rec them