zlacker

I have 51000 karma. I am not playing any game. I just enjoy posting here, and try to make interesting comments. I far prefer it to Reddit and Slashdot, and rarely bother with them anymore.

Probably all thanks to dang!

>>Walter+(OP)
I also have many unpopular views, and know I'm going to get downvoted plenty for them, but post them anyway.

>>Walter+(OP)
I made one submission that got a LOT of traction. which got me to around 1k karma.

Karma is useless.

>>Walter+(OP)
Similar karma, also post as I think. Often disagree with viewpoints expressed, including many of those of WalterBright's.

But I agree with him here that there's been no general penalty observed.

The only things I've noticed are a couple of people reaching out on account of my being on the leaderboard (no, I can't get your posts approved, yes, I will report your trying to do so), and having corresponded with the mod team for years (occasionally viewpoint issues, mostly boring submission stuff such as titles, disambiguated URLs, and occasional spam), what I think is a fairly good mutual understanding. Not always agreement, but general respect. I'll make my case or argument, and almost always accept the moderation response. I've had numerous submissions entered into the 2nd chance pool.

Overall calibre of discussion for an open and general-interest website is excellent. Occasional visiting expertise is an added plus.

My own submissions sometimes succeed, are occasionally flagged, and mostly just languish in the "new" page.

>>Walter+g1
My tactic is more trying to get people to either think through or substantiate their claims or positions than simply focusing on "unpopular opinions". Including in some recent exchanges with you. I make a point of challenging what I suspect are viewpoints adopted for conventionality rather than empiricism or reasoning.

That also occasionally seems to unsettle some readers. I think on balance it improves the site. All the more so when people respond or learn things.

(I've certainly learned from being challenged on my own comments, and make my own fair share of errors.)

>>Akrony+OG
> Karma is useless

Exactly. I can't even trade it for a cuppa coffee.