Wait what? A comment bitching about stars on P-Mag, on yippayap…which has a star system….by people who all have stars. Come again with your crying?
It’s not a star system!!!! It’s like the like button on facebook!!!! We took away the dislike!
Persephone is trying a comment rating system because several members requested it. Persephone doesn’t even know what a star path is, and certainly isn’t going down it if there are worms on it.
Also, I don’t even know what a yipyap is, so complaining there if you want something changed is probably not the most effective. We’ve got at least half a dozen ways to get in contact with us. (Twitter, tumblr, Facebook, comments, email and Perseph PM)
I adore Persephone Magazine and even though I am not part of the permanent staff, I have been part of it contributing posts since the beginning. I was also part of the initial discussions that kick started Persephone. So… I have entitlement to it. (Do I ever don’t?).
But I do not like rating systems. They tend to favor a sense of clique-y belonging that doesn’t translate well for both newcomers and people who might hold different opinions from the majority. As long as those opinions are expressed in a respectful and constructive manner, they should also have a space and not risk being buried down due to lack of ratings because they are either polemic or different from what the mainstream holds as truth.
Banning trolls and disruptive people should always be an option. An option that should be exercised swiftly and without doubt. However, promoting a potentially alienating environment where anyone new might be put off from contributing is dangerous. Comments should stand on their merits not on the commenter’s popularity. We have already seen on Jezebel what happens when a few have reign over others. And it wasn’t a pretty sight.
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