I gotta ask: the "laugh" points, are they meant as appreciation or as mockery??

[CapnZapp]

This has been bugging me for a while now.

I thought "laugh points" were a good thing, for when you consider a post to be funny, crack a joke or similar, and the "have a XP" really isn't appropriate...

(perhaps the post isn't serious enough to merit such an award; probably having two different award mechanisms is simply offered as a nice touch)

But.

It says

CapnZapp laughed at this post

Laughed at?

Am I overly sensitive, or is being laughed at something not very nice? Isn't this the equivalent of school-yard bullying?

Am I missing some subtlety of the English language here, or is the intent really to provide a double-edged sword, where a laugh point can both mean "hah that was genuinely funny" and "hah I'm laughing at your stupid and clumsy post"?

Or is it the fact that the icon

is much more ambivalent than the or the (two smilies that at least I find very straightforward in presenting a genuinely positive emotion)...?

 

[Morrus]

It means somebody enjoyed your joke.

 

[Umbran]

Laughed at?

Am I overly sensitive, or is being laughed at something not very nice? Isn't this the equivalent of school-yard bullying?

I think you are looking a bit too hard at, and reading too much into, exact wording. It is supposed to denote that you found the post amusing, enjoyable, and funny. It is not intended to mock the post.

 

[Rune]

I've seen it used both ways. But, if anyone ever uses it to mock you, You can take consolation in the XP that it also grants you (I think).

 

[CapnZapp]

Morrus and Umbran: thank you for your replies. It does appear this usage is news to you, but more importantly, I take your answers to mean you didn't design it to be ambiguous intentionally.

Thank you, Rune, for backing up my impression that the laugh points can indeed be used to deride and belittle a post.

 

[Morrus]

If you think somebody is mocking or belittling somebody on EN World, please let us know.

 

[El Mahdi]

If you think somebody is mocking or belittling somebody on EN World, please let us know.

As often as it's used to laugh at a joke (or maybe even more), people are using it on posts that are obviously not jokes, and doing so as a form of "negative xp" or a way to bypass ENWorlds rules as concerns civility. It's being done all over the place.

So, not to be snarky but legitimately asking: Will it really make a difference if we let you know? (let moderation know?)

Because I have, and nothing happened... (example below...and yes, I did report it...)

Just in the last day and half, MoonSong(Kaiilurker) did it four times over three different threads - all directed at one poster. ( here , here , here , and here )

 

[Morrus]

So, not to be snarky but legitimately asking: Will it really make a difference if we let you know? (let moderation know?)

Yes, but be aware that we're pretty swamped right now with the influx of new posters. I expect things to calm down soon.

 

[CapnZapp]

Thank you, El Mahdi, for backing up my impression that the laugh points can indeed be used to deride and belittle a post.

 

[Rune]

Morrus and Umbran: thank you for your replies. It does appear this usage is news to you, but more importantly, I take your answers to mean you didn't design it to be ambiguous intentionally.

Thank you, Rune, for backing up my impression that the laugh points can indeed be used to deride and belittle a post.

Of course, sometimes it's just a mistake. I mostly browse on one of the older tiny-screen iPhones and I've accidentally hit Laugh instead of XP with my big, clumsy, low-dex finger. Several times. And since it takes a full 10 minutes(!) to correct that mistake (300 seconds before you can take it back and another 300 seconds before you can "click" on XP) I sometimes just let it stand.