Is The Forum Getting More Antagonistic?

[Cadence]

I have a crazy theory that if ENWorld removed the "Like" button there would be an upswing in positive posting. This is just my own thinking, but when someone agrees with a post, they have two options: reply with an agreement, or press "Like." When someone disagrees with a post, they only have one option (other than ignoring the post): posting a disagreement. This leads to more disagreement posts populating threads, and fewer agreement posts being posted.

That's just my theory!

I'm very tempted to click the laughing face under the like button.

But seriously, is there an emoji that wouldn't feel passive aggressive to hit as a reply to things one disagreed with? :-/ Would that be better than a negative post?

If we got rid of the like reply would we be flooded with lots of agreement posts that have nothing new to say but just wanted to express support somehow?

 

[BookTenTiger]

I'm very tempted to click the laughing face under the like button.

But seriously, is there an emoji that wouldn't feel passive aggressive to hit as a reply to things one disagreed with? :-/ Would that be better than a negative post?

If we got rid of the like reply would we be flooded with lots of agreement posts that have nothing new to say but just wanted to express support somehow?

I enjoy brief agreement posts.

 

[Cadence]

I enjoy brief agreement posts.

I'm picturing us as a group and wondering about our collective brevity, even in the face of nothing new to say.

 

[payn]

Folks, the ticket is to just unwatch and stop looking at any thread over 10 pages, unless of course, im posting in them.

 

[Blue]

Even + threads are a form of that basically means you can't disagree with me IMHO.

All it means is you can't disagree with someone here. You absolutely can start another thread and debate it there, even @ Mentioning people to come speak.

We've all seen when just a handful of posters argue with each other and overwhelm a thread - that seems to be a valid way to stop a conversation from getting derailed.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'm not sure with that. Since there is no option bloat, I don't think there's anything inherent about 5e that's driving warts starting to grow.

In 5e, I'm not sure "bloat" is the right term, sure, but there did seem to be more and more analysis going on (IME) of what is working and what is not, even before the OneD&D announcement. (And all the arguments that occur about that).

This does not explain the long-running and rising antagonism about games other than D&D.

I'll have to defer to you experience there, to be fair, I don't think I look at too many non-D&D threads. I'll take your word for it.

I mean, sure, it's not JUST edition-change, of course! There's an overall increase in antagonism in the WORLD (and in particular on the Internet. In fact, I think it's BECAUSE of the internet that its seeped into the world!) The pandemic made it worse, but I think it was starting before that.

I now have Billy Joel "We Didn't Start the Fire" stuck in my head.

 

[Riley]

If we got rid of the like reply would we be flooded with lots of agreement posts that have nothing new to say but just wanted to express support somehow?

 

[Thomas Shey]

But seriously, is there an emoji that wouldn't feel passive aggressive to hit as a reply to things one disagreed with? :-/ Would that be better than a negative post?

Just as a data point, on those occasions elsewhere where I've said something I meant seriously and got the laughing emoji, it made me roll my eyes. At least with a negative post there's something to engage with and some context.

 

[J.Quondam]

I gather I'm in the minority here, but I don't necessarily use a "like" to mean "I agree."
It often does equate to a "high five," but I also use it to mean "I acknowledge" or "I think this post is a positive contribution even if I don't agree." It depends on the thread.

 

[Zardnaar]

All it means is you can't disagree with someone here. You absolutely can start another thread and debate it there, even @ Mentioning people to come speak.

We've all seen when just a handful of posters argue with each other and overwhelm a thread - that seems to be a valid way to stop a conversation from getting derailed.

Often one thread is an official one or may as well be and it will get all the responses even if it gets started after the first one.