Forums like reddit and hackernews show a total score for every post and comment: Upvotes − Downvotes. This encourages conformism. It encourages people to "read the room". It's even worse then a real room, where you see everyone's reaction to what you say. In this virtual room you only see a final score, the approval or disapproval of the community as a whole.
Up- and Downvotes Should be Shown Separately
Up- and Downvotes Should be Shown Separately
Up- and Downvotes Should be Shown Separately
Forums like reddit and hackernews show a total score for every post and comment: Upvotes − Downvotes. This encourages conformism. It encourages people to "read the room". It's even worse then a real room, where you see everyone's reaction to what you say. In this virtual room you only see a final score, the approval or disapproval of the community as a whole.