Greetings Steemers & Steemians!
:-D
Alrighty then! Let’s cut through the treacle and light this candle!
No pictures - no fluff - just pure unadulterated solution!
...brought to you by a New Paradigm. ;-)
If an explanation is required, please see @gardenofeden 's article about how it's no big deal, but it IS a big deal - also, @stellabelle wrote an article that is making me weigh the benefits and truly think about where I want to spend my time and whom I want to spend my time with...
As a short background, I’ve wanted to write other articles on Steemit for awhile (since my introduction), however… something has been gnawing at my conscience:
It is way too easy to cut into potential earnings and outright censor people.
Quickfix solution?
Flagging and Downvoting REQUIRES commenting and explanation.
This way, the user MUST explain WHY they downvoted/flagged… and if the reason is insufficient (see below), the flag is to be removed quickly and the user who flagged NEEDS to lose Steem for wasting everyone’s time and energy over issues that are strictly personal.
In ALL of my years on message boards (or related forums), I’ve ONLY seen flagging used as a means against terms of service violations and for outright belligerent behavior.
If someone is plagiarizing material YOU created and isn’t even nodding in your direction? Flag it! Comment on WHY and move on your way!
If someone has the same idea as YOU and they are writing their own articles on it? Do not flag it! But why not comment to see if maybe a possible cooperative is in order? Or at the very least plug your own idea in there so readers can see the difference?
HOWEVER...
Disagreement or even outright resentment against someone or what someone is presenting should NOT be grounds for flagging or downvoting!
Period.
For example: I love cats, and dogs, and cute little animals… But you will never see me upvote OR flag an article of adorable animal pictures BECAUSE it is against what I believe Steemit should be about and so I place my energy and upvotes elsewhere…
IF I was to take it personally, and get all butt hurt about the amount of Steem being garnered by what I consider Facebook material… And I FLAGGED IT?? Or DOWNVOTED IT in order to say “Ha! Take that crazy cat lady!” - It would be compromising my values, I would be acting dishonorably, and I am very directly creating an environment and community of pettiness and antagonism.
Truly, the ONLY thing we can do as a community is to a) speak up, offer our voice, and make a stand for what we know is honorable, b) hold users accountable in the best and most efficient way possible, and c) use the Golden Rule - the one that offers, “Give unto others as one would give unto oneself.” ---And if that means DISAGREEMENT??? Simply comment on it - or ignore it completely!!
To do otherwise is to open up yourself and the entire community to flagging and downvote wars where nobody wins and Steemit loses.
SO… In summary:
(1) Downvoting / Flagging REQUIRES an explanatory comment to be left.
(2) Insufficient reason (i.e. personal issues and disagreements that have nothing to do with legalities and terms of service) of flagging/downvote ends in speedy removal of flagging and a loss of Steem for the offending party.
Please feel free to comment, disagree, agree, and share with others!
Also feel free to use, amend, and make this idea your own!