When do you rate a discussion or a reply NEGATIVE?

binskee, I see you too have been plague with the abusive behavior from myLot users. I have been dropping by the day. It is very upsetting to me as I have to date offended and or negatively responded to any members. The only one time I used the negative was when a member intentionally made fun of someone's English comprehension. He literally said verbatim "dude learn to write proper English before you post anything on here" I was so appauled at this when the guidelines specifically says we are not to taunt any members with Language barriers. Anyways this is what I do not get, I believe that members here believe that if you just don't completely agree with them they have the right to rate you negative. That is not what the guidelines says, it specifically says that you are not to rate anyone negative as an opposing comment makes for a quality discussion giving all points of views. I see so many of us on your discussion have been plagues with this infestation. I for one have never involved my self in debatable and or controversial discussion so I just do not get it. In fact last Saturday, I went back up to 97/100 - a ten, my time on myLot was very limited as I had several errands I had to do this day, so I did a test. I only commented on a limited number of discussions and was very cautious as to what I inputted, as this was part of my test. So tell me why I come back on here Sunday to find my rate to 94/100 - a nine. Hmm I could not explain this. I take this very personal, as I have earned my efforts on here, I have spoken from my heart here, so I log in today and I am 93/100. So I too am dropping very quickly for the last week and do not understand it. I have checked the guidelines and this is what I find: [b]What if I disagree with someone? Should I give that post a negative rating? * Absolutely not! In fact, if you disagree with a post, but still feel it positively contributes to the discussion, you should rate it positively. Rating quality content negatively will hurt your ratings overall. Remember differing opinions and viewpoints tend to make for the most interesting discussions.[/b] During my 5 months here I have been reading so many discussions about trolls and I could not really believe that people could be so cruel. Well I have noticed in the last 2 weeks a few members literally not displaying their own discussion box but rather commenting in my box and completing contradicting my positive response, as if it were intentional. So there is some truth to the trolling and I do not get it. I have been losing my zest for myLot in the last 2 weeks as I have been a very faithful member, speaking directly from the heart. I have enough offline troubles to be feeling the taint of intentional abuse. So I am considering doing other things as I do not need added frustration in my life. I will give you an example, I did a discussion of awareness whereas I posted two fraudulent checks that I received totaling almost $5,000. This is a really bad infestation situation going on in the world of fraud. So tell me why a member comes on here and says verbatim: What do you think we are stupid people, we are smarter than this and you posting this makes me think you treat everyone as if they are stupid. Huh, really.. well I know a great number of intelligent people off-line who have fallen for this scheme and my intent was simply to make people aware of the fraud going on today. Do not know why members feel compelled to twist and negate things in life. Ugh.. okay sorry I am venting on your discussion.

I am a member of Mylot for almost two years now but even until this very minute I have never pushed the negative button. Maybe because I am too lenient (?) and I can tolerate any response in the discussions I have posted. But, there was nothing really offensive about what I read before nor what I just read.So, there's just no need to push the negative button. Moreover, whenever I am posting a topic I always put on mind that whatever response I get, I have to appreciate it. I don't expect all users think like me and believe in the things that I believe in, too. I just think that people are just voicing out there opinions at that they are not a personal attack to my own opinion or life or me in general. But, if ever I will come across to a response which i think is offensive or lewd, i'd rather report it to the admin as abuse so that they can help me decide if it is worth deleting and the owner worth punishing...

Here are a few instances where I will rate negative (it seriously doesn't happen very often, however). a) if someone name-calls or is being extremely mean and hurtful to another MyLot member in the form of a "comment" on someone's response. Perhaps the person who responded didn't give the discussion-starter the answer they were looking for, and perhaps wrote an opposing argument that the discussion-starter didn't like, and lashed out at them. I don't think there is ANY excuse for this, and this is my way for punishing them in my own little way. LOL. b) if the discussion is obviously breaking the rules and isn't really a discussion at all, like if someone starts a discussion that says "i like pie" and that's it. These will most likely get deleted anyway, so I don't know why I bother with that. Haha. Those are really the only times I negatively rate, and especially the first one. I don't (honestly) spend too much time rating discussions at all, mainly because I forget and/or I'm too lazy. Plus, there's not really a need to do so - I mean, so what if I disagree with their argument (some people rate negatively if they disagree, I feel), or I think their response is 'stupid'? That's my own opinion and I wouldn't want their 'ratings' to suffer for it just because it's my opinion.

I only rate negative when people who should know better (not newbies) are promoting other sites or even giving links. I feel they are deeply cheating on what mylot is as a site and it´s a ethical disagreement. I don´t usually rate negative those bigoted people that come up once in a while. No negative rating will change their ways, poor souls. I rate positive when I feel the mylotter is making a real effort to express himself, his ideas and views, not mattering if they are not my own.

I think I pushed the negative button once, when someone who responded to a discussion really responded off topic. I really can't remember the details, but his response had nothing to do with the topic. In another case when I saw s.o, who was being offensive to another member I pushed the report button. Disagreements should not be a reason for negative ratings. Without debate or willingness to hear another point of view there is really nothing to discuss. Well constructed and defended disagreements should be welcomed and rated positively.

Til date, I have not rated anybody negative because I don't see the need to do so. Everybody is entitled to their own opinions and they are free to voice out their thoughts. So if we don't agree with their comments, we have no right to rate them negatively. If everybody is afraid of getting a negative rating by joining the majority with similar views, then I can only say everybody is a hypocrite. They are more concerned about their ratings and earnings yet not bothered to put in much efforts.

I never use the negative button.the very fact that someone has "bothered" to answer is sufficient incentive for a '+'.

Actually I don’t mark negative if I don’t like a response, as I think it is their view point and they are sharing with us. I ignore the response. But I always mark “+” when I like a discussion or response but never “-” it. I know mylot perform a check for abusive words on the sit and they give warning to the member.

I have used the button a few times but it is rare. I remember one was because it was very offensive too and the replier did not understand the discussion. It was very accusing. I usually do not rate negative even if the reply doesn't (a) agree with me because I know we all come from different places. I would never do b or d nor e... and if I am (c) then I would ask the replier to explain more for me to understand. I would only rate negative if it is very accusing while being misinterpreted on the repliers part.

Bingskee- I do not have a sample of what you found "offensive" so it is difficult to state if this was simply because your cultural values differed from the person in question or if they broke Mylot guidelines. I would say that if there is a question one should check with the FAQ's: http://www.mylot.com/o/faq/faq17.aspx Mylot clearly states that just because you disagree with someone that one should not negatively rate a discussion response or thread. We all have different values, morals, and thoughts on life and this is what makes Mylot so diverse. We are not always going to agree, and we will not always have the same outlook. To give you an example, I recently had my rank increase to 54, and then commented on a subject that was perhaps one I should have stayed out of because it was a moral based discussion. Meaning, it was a discussion that had various responses depending upon our own moral compass. After having made my remarks which were in no way hostile, did not break Mylot guidelines, my ranking dropped by a point. I have to assume it did so because of that particular discussion. Those are the risks we take on Mylot because often times new users do not fully understand how to use the ranking buttons, or their effects upon other users. If you read through the link provided it tells you how the DRS works, and your ranking (the number in your star) does effect your earnings on Mylot. The lower the star, the lower the earnings. The ranking figures into Mylot's proprietary algorithm they use to compute the earnings, just as what you post figures into those earnings. As I understand the FAQ's, if a person's response is on topic, expands the topic or is relevant to the topic at hand then it would be ranked positive. If you feel neither way about it then simply do not rank it. The only time one should rank it negatively is if the response does not add to the discussion, is not relevant to the discussion at hand, or breaks Mylot guidelines (also found on the FAQ's page). Just because someone does not agree with the person, or has a different set of moral, ethical, spiritual, political, life, etc beliefs is not a violation of Mylot guidelines. I hope this helps. Happy Mylotting. Namaste-Anora

Hello Bingskee, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WORSE IT WAS BEFORE THE ADMIN STARTS LIMITING THE RATING POST. Before, any person can rate the post (discussion,response and comment) as it was the "SKY IS THE LIMIT" but this priviledged has caused tremendous abuse coming from trolls. most specially those who wants to kill the star of their own lotters. like the fate of hatley who were being bullied by two trolls or Lamby who had a lot of enemies for being so straight. In this regard (thanks to Lamby btw), the admin got fed up with the complaints(about the rating abuse) that they decided to limit the rating thing. you still got lucky if the responder was truly a cynical, you could have gotten LOWER than (8) the yellow star. Rating a post can is now limited to 15 per day/ 24 hours. this was in effect last year. [b]This was because i find the response of a mylotter very very offensive. [/b] If the post of this user is offensive, then the only course of action is just to report it to the admin (!) simply because they are active most of the time.don't make a verbal fight with the user, no matter how intelligent you're post is. you know, instead of just trying to focus on the intelligent. why just make it simple and sweet. intelligence doesn't matter if the responder is sensitive, i know we had that scenario here so many times. and this is the not the peak times of the trolls as i see most lotters turning blue. well, you can still reclaim that blue star you're number of post isn't that quite high yet. If you make a discussion, be ready for everything. even "LOKOS" (idiots)

I've never personally rated an entire discussion negative. However, there have been a couple of times that I've rated responses negative. The main time that I do this is not because I don't agree with the person that made the response, instead the reason that this happens is because the response has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the discussion that is at hand. Other than that, I don't think that it is right to rate parts or entire discussions negative.

some people are just like that. if you don't want to upset a person, maybe you should be careful talking about it.

never really rated anybody before since im new and dont feel like it. but if i did start and i think id probably do in time =), i wont ever rate negative and rate it positive if i like it. not really guaranteed though cause it will change with my mood if i wanna rate or not. but i know i wont rate some one negative. and for those who rate negative for reasons other than cause u dont like or disagree with the post, thats sad, especially if they rate negative for NO REASON at all.

We all have a right to vvoice our opnions. i would only rate a discussion in a negative way only if i thought they were being hurtful or offesnive in their discussion.