My reputation is being targeted unfairly

[Vexen]

I really worked hard to keep my rep neutral. Now, certain people or a person decided to dislike my comments unfairly. It was deliberate as it was done just after I posted an undeniable comment that must have affected some evangelical(s). These people cannot take criticism and resort to bad tactics.

 

Help

Edited December 15, 2014 by Vexen

[EdEarl]

Everybody gets negative rep points. There is no point in complaining, some people will give you additional negatives, because they like to hurt people. In general negatives are hard to avoid and positives are hard to acquire. My advice is always post on topic, always be kind to others, always use clear accurate language, and don't take either positive or negative points too seriously. Easiest way to get positive points is to make people laugh.

[ajb]

My advice is always post on topic, always be kind to others, always use clear accurate language,

I second this advice. Just stick to the rules and be polite and you will be okay.

[Vexen]

Everybody gets negative rep points. There is no point in complaining, some people will give you additional negatives, because they like to hurt people. In general negatives are hard to avoid and positives are hard to acquire. My advice is always post on topic, always be kind to others, always use clear accurate language, and don't take either positive or negative points too seriously. Easiest way to get positive points is to make people laugh.

Yeah, I'm just going to simmer down for a while. Stay out of the "heat" and keep out of their way. I'll just make an appearance now and then.

[Phi for All]

Yeah, I'm just going to simmer down for a while. Stay out of the "heat" and keep out of their way. I'll just make an appearance now and then.

 

You're making some pretty expansive conjectures based on a tiny statistical sampling. Two votes isn't a conspiracy, and you've already invented a "they" whose way you're keeping out of. It's good that you value your reputation but I think you're overreacting.

[Delta1212]

The reputation that matters most is what others actually think about you based on what and how you post. The number in your profile is just a number.

[Dekan]

I really worked hard to keep my rep neutral. Now, certain people or a person decided to dislike my comments unfairly. It was deliberate as it was done just after I posted an undeniable comment that must have affected some evangelical(s). These people cannot take criticism and resort to bad tactics.

 

Help

Vexen, you must avoid saying anything that could possibly be construed as:

 

1. Racist

2. Sexist

3. Homophobic.

 

Provided you keep quite clear of expressing such views, there's no reason (speaking unofficially) why you shouldn't be perfectly safe.

 

Also, it's best not to question Anthropogenic Climate Change. The Mods don't like it.

[Ophiolite]

Vexen as I have pointed out to you in threads and by pm some of your posts are illogical, some are potentially offensive, some are simply wrong, accompanied by what can appear like an unpleasant and unjustified arrogance. You believe none of these things are true, which is why you wonder why you get a couple of negative reps.

 

Here is some advice. I suspect you'll ignore it.

 

Don't work to protect your reputation. Instead post intelligent, thoughtful, helpful posts. Don't make absolute statements that are trivially disproved. Do think before you hit the post button. Recognise that alternative viewpoints may be more correct than your own. And, most importantly, remember that this forum is meant to be for fun and education, not frustration and ego.

[swansont]

Yeah, I'm just going to simmer down for a while. Stay out of the "heat" and keep out of their way. I'll just make an appearance now and then.

 

I hope that you don't do this. A negative reputation point or two is not supposed to make you stop or reduce your posting, it's supposed to give you feedback on the things you post. And if you check, you'll see that on a few posts, a negative has been balanced out by someone who thought it unfair. As of this posting, you have one post that has a net negative (-1). I would hope you would be able to figure out why someone might have been motivated to do so (and it wasn't because you criticized a person or a group to which they belonged)

 

It's the equivalent of someone scowling at you if you said something that crossed a line. That's not supposed to shut you up as tell you what the line is, and reflect on why the line is drawn there.

[Phi for All]

Vexen, you must avoid saying anything that could possibly be construed as:

 

1. Racist

2. Sexist

3. Homophobic.

 

Provided you keep quite clear of expressing such views, there's no reason (speaking unofficially) why you shouldn't be perfectly safe.

 

Also, it's best not to question Anthropogenic Climate Change. The Mods don't like it.

 

Above all, don't deny this idea - that changes in the Earth's climate are caused by man-made carbon emissions.

 

Admittedly, the idea is laughably stupid. But - it's the current fashionable theory. So contesting it will get you nowhere. Except for getting lots of negative rep,

 

Vexen, as Dekan mentions, you could also choose to ignore reputation and pretend people object to what you say instead of the way you say it. Then when you start getting bad reputation points, you can ignore what it really says about you and pretend you're being persecuted so you can keep doing it. Eventually you'll have so many negative points you can start pretending you did it that way on purpose.

[Dekan]

I just say what I think.

 

Is the forum supposed to be a popularity contest - who gets the most "rep" from their replies?

[ydoaPs]

I really worked hard to keep my rep neutral. Now, certain people or a person decided to dislike my comments unfairly. It was deliberate as it was done just after I posted an undeniable comment that must have affected some evangelical(s). These people cannot take criticism and resort to bad tactics.

 

Help

I've just checked. No single person has given you negative rep twice. Though, you do have someone suspiciously targeting you for positive rep.

[Dekan]

I've just checked. No single person has given you negative rep twice. Though, you do have someone suspiciously targeting you for positive rep.

So it is like a popularity contest. Like who gives rep to someone else.

 

This might be disappointing, from a scientific viewpoint.

 

But not entirely surprising. We note that most posts by a mod, get a + point.

 

And why not! The mods are superior. Don't they deserve praise! If it weren't for their intellectual efforts, this forum wouldn't even be here!

[iNow]

If you dislike it here so much, why do you choose to stay and bitch and moan?

[davidivad]

So it is like a popularity contest. Like who gives rep to someone else.

 

This might be disappointing, from a scientific viewpoint.

 

But not entirely surprising. We note that most posts by a mod, get a + point.

 

And why not! The mods are superior. Don't they deserve praise! If it weren't for their intellectual efforts, this forum wouldn't even be here!

 

well, the mods do make this site happen.

they have been chosen for useful qualities conducive to the site.

if you ever have an issue, contact a mod and they will give advice.

i have spent much time representing ideas i may or may not even agree with as an exercise in non-complacency.

this often puts me in the dog house so to speak but is worth the effort for us as a community for science.

these guys just come off that way because science is precise and needs to be that way to have effective dialogue which is, in a sense, what this site is for.

(effective argumentation skills required in the field)

there is a pecking order because we cannot as scientists escape our humanity...lol

use the pecking order and you wil gain respect much more than someone inflexible as the others may seem.

i have found the practice very useful personally although it is so easy to take offense as it comes across strongly.

it has been my personal experience that this is a concern for them and they take it seriously by trying to be more flexible with the new guys.

yes, the most irritating people on here even try.

take your hits, submit when there is a consensus against you, and you WILL be accepted.

[Dekan]

Well, you may be right. But I suspect that the mods are here, to puff up their own egos.

[physica]

I don't know where this popularity contest concept has come from. People's personalities clash a lot. I am certainly no angel in this regard. However, you don't get masses of negative rep for saying something someone doesn't like. You will generally get positive rep if you show a willingness to learn, share and develop ideas and realise when someone knows more than you. You will get a negative rep if you ignore people and facts, repeatedly make statements without backing them up, confidently talk about something you know nothing about whilst stating that others are idiots. I myself have received a warning point from a mod and I don't hold back in expressing when someone is being silly (honestly trying to be better at this). However, I haven't been targeted by anyone and every point I've made has been taken by its own merit (always the odd rare exception). My rep is ok.

 

We have to see this forum for what it is, a science forum not a petty politics forum. For some people it's easier to think that others are being nasty as opposed to realising that their own logic and persona isn't 100% bullet proof. The first option is easy but it will get harder as life goes on. The second option is hard but it will get easier as life goes on.

 

Vexen: If you want some clarification have a look at some of the rep posts of a person with a low rep points by looking at their profile. You'll definitely start to see a theme in their posts and you'll know what style to avoid. If you find yourself agreeing with one or two of them then you get a chance of some inner reflection without losing rep points.

 

 

Well, you may be right. But I suspect that the mods are here, to puff up their own egos.

 

You have no idea. These people have been very patient and have helped me out a lot and they do it for free. You want to see ego?? You'll find it in particular university professors who don't bother replying to emails, certain cardio surgeons who like belittling their juniors. They display the exact opposite characteristics of what these mods display. Ego would be banning you for disagreeing with them once whilst not even bothering to reply to you.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2014 by physica

[hypervalent_iodine]

Well, you may be right. But I suspect that the mods are here, to puff up their own egos.

Actually, any staff member would tell you that it's all about the cheese nips.

[ydoaPs]

So it is like a popularity contest. Like who gives rep to someone else.

 

This might be disappointing, from a scientific viewpoint.

 

But not entirely surprising. We note that most posts by a mod, get a + point.

 

And why not! The mods are superior. Don't they deserve praise! If it weren't for their intellectual efforts, this forum wouldn't even be here!

Some people have fans, but in the overall scheme of things it's a small effect. We've done actual statistics and whatnot.

 

Another fun thing that happens is that people will lie about giving neg rep and then complain that someone neg reps them.

[Delta1212]

Actually, any staff member would tell you that it's all about the cheese nips.

I don't know, ego puffs are pretty tasty. Especially if you puff them yourself.

[swansont]

I don't know, ego puffs are pretty tasty. Especially if you puff them yourself.

 

Nasty side effect, though. It leads to swelled heads.

 

It's funny though (but not ha-ha funny). The claim about mods and egos is quite similar to those that come from people who describe the process of science as they imagine it, but who aren't scientists themselves. They have a particular perspective and set of motivations, and it looks like they project that onto science. Not surprising that they generally get it wrong.

 

Reputation, too. If someone only sees reputation as popularity, then they might assume that everyone treats it that way. Despite the fact that when such discussions people have pointed out that they will give positive rep to a well-reasoned argument that opposes their view. I suppose the pessimistic view is that such a claim is a lie, and the poster is trolling for rep.

[EdEarl]

I don't know, ego puffs are pretty tasty. Especially if you puff them yourself.

Yes, but they leave a bad taste in the mouth of every one else.