Likes given and likes received

[Monica]

I will like posts that I disagree with:

I will like

* something well written
* something that is heartfelt
* something highly unusual
* something really sad.

if you see me 'liking', it doesn't mean I agree with you!!

I sometimes do that too, and I agree that this is a fine list of reasons to like a post. To me, 'like' means I appreciate the contribution to the discussion, not necessarily that I agree with every point made in that post.

Although, I think most people will probably interpret a 'like' to mean agreement. So sometimes when I really do like the person's participation, they can misinterpret the 'like' to mean agreement on this or that point.

Likes can be used to provide support, but they can also be used to divide. I've seen people criticize others and their mean-spirited post gets the most likes of any in the discussion, and it can end up being a way to gang up on one unpopular person. I saw that happen a lot when unity100 was posting. Someone would say something critical of him and that comment would set the record for the most likes!

What I found particularly disturbing is when a member pm'ed me to say that they often 'liked' the posts of their favorite selected people, regardless of what the post said. They something like "I sometimes 'like' the post of certain people without even reading those posts, because I like that person."

I found this rather appalling, because such use of the 'like' function can end up being a tool to separate and divide into cliques.

As moderator, I noticed this happening a lot. Cliques would form and I could always count on the same cluster of people liking the posts that criticized another cluster of people.

I know that there is also a lot of good in having the like feature, but I'm not sure whether the positive outweighs the negative.

When we first implemented the feature, we were concerned about this very thing; it being used to divide into cliques. After much discussion, we finally agreed to it based on the idea that the feature would allow lurkers to have more say. The suggestion was offered that many people might be shy about posting, but the like button could provide them a way to contribute, without posting.

I don't think that has happened all that much, though. What I've observed is that the vast majority of the likes are made by the most active members. So the anticipated benefit of more lurkers participating simply didn't materialize.

Instead, it has ended up being a tool for supporting one 'side' over the other.

Overall, I find it divisive.

and don't forget, the like system is relatively new (12 months?). The so-called stats for veteran users will be skewed somewhat.

Good point.

as always, numbers can deceive as well as enlighten.

Indeed.