I have a hard enough time with ANY type of 'Stars' or 'Flags' or "ups" or 'Downs.'
It isn't really about all that...I haven't been here very long, but it's not impossible to see that there are those that just don't get along and
those that support someone else by way of the current system, just because. I'm not whining, I'd be willing to drop the whole current system, but
that leaves us with a couple problems.
Flags are great to draw attention to a thread, but for me, it's mostly the title...(I know, I'm shallow, but I can't possibly read everything, I'm
not the Lawnmower Man)...and THEN the number of replies, and then the flags.
If I see a title that says "Wrench from Heaven Hits Bush!" I might read it, no matter how many flags it has...If it says "UFO Over Columbia" I
will probably wait until it has ten flags or so, and a dozen replies to get a 'feel' for whether it has been debunked yet. "Presidents are
Reptilians!" would have to have about fifty flags before I checked it out, and even then, I'll probably be busy looking for the Wrench from heaven.
You see, I have that magical thing...choice. I can choose to read a thread or not, regardless of the accolades, or warnings that would be posted by
other users. I look at the 'top' page once every three weeks or so, and then get back to the 'recent posts' view.
Given the diversity of beliefs and opinions on this site, it would seem to me that statistically, a system of positive and negative flags, or stars,
would pretty much zero out everybody's threads. Not productive, but maybe fair.
I mean come on (and don't get mad) I can say I'm a Zebulon from Glorflaggel and there is probably SOMEONE on this board that would either BELIEVE
me, or say that THEY are one too!
You KNOW it's true.
I could also say I've had an OBE, and I'm guessing at least HALF of the folks would call BS on that. There are just too many different beliefs and
alignments to make a system of positives and negatives work. Take Yin and Yang...it results in what? Yeah, balance.
There isn't a fix, when egos are involved. Many will say ego doesn't matter and for those, it might not, but for some, ego is a big deal...you only
have to READ some threads to realize that.
If stars and flags were to be taken away, what system would be used to put a thread on the 'top?' Replies? A thread with 2000 replies really SHOULD
be elevated above one with three replies and 50 flags, if you ask me. The problem with that is then you have to read 2000 replies.
It's SUPPOSED to be about the discussion, right? But then you have important topics (in theory) that really NEED to be discussed more and again, in
theory, they should get flagged to draw attention to them.
If I use my telescope and actually SEE Nibiru (
) that would be a BIG deal, especially if impact is imminent. Now, many, MANY people have
absolutely NO belief in Nibiru (don't blame them), so given the chance, as soon as they saw the title, or even the picture, BAM, negative flag, black
hole, whatever you want it to be...end result, November 12, 2010, Nibiru slams into the Earth and no one knew it was coming because the thread got
zeroed out, or flag-bombed into oblivion. (relax, I don't think Nibiru is coming)
As flawed as the current system may be, I think it's the best we can hope for until we have some major consciousness shift.
The author is shown on
the thread, so we know if it's that guy that keeps saying death is to occur tomorrow. We don't have to read it.
If we have some evidence that death will NOT come tomorrow, we really sort of owe it to everyone else to get on the thread, as painful as it may be,
and post our evidence. Then, even though the thread is flagged a jillion times, someone in the thread will see what YOU think, and the evidence that
YOU have.
In that regard, the flags really HELP the case. The fifty OTHER Zeubulons on the board might flag me when I come out of the alien closet, but when
that gets popped up the first page and it catches someone's eye, the thread will HOPEFULLY contain YOUR post that points out that Zebulons aren't
real and the evidence you have to support that. Some won't listen to reason, or accept your evidence, but it's not about changing the whole world,
right?
You can only do what you can do. If you disagree with a thread, get on it and say why. Don't call the author an idiot, or dooshbag, but make your
point. That in itself, if done consistently, honestly and respectfully will have a tremendous impact on someone trying to evaluate the validity of the
point and the winner in that is really the increased enlightenment of the human race. (cue galactically patriotic music) ...and that's what it's all
about.
When we can, though our words, influence, inform, enlighten and convince, then that will be far more beneficial to mankind than how many flags a
thread has, or how many stars a post has. But sometimes we need the flags. How else are we going to know where to go to spread our wisdom.
