Why is the Upvote system flawed?
One major problem is that any people don't really bother reading more than the first page or two of comments. This means they're only seeing the top-rated comments, and upvoting those. Any comments that come later never get read or ever have a chance to get upvoted, regardless of quality.
The Short Answer
One major problem is that any people don't really bother reading more than the first page or two of comments. This means they're only seeing the top-rated comments, and upvoting those. Any comments that come later never get read or ever have a chance to get upvoted, regardless of quality. You can see this effect by looking at how many points the comments in a busy thread get. It'll be something like 2500, 1000, 200, 150, 100… Furthermore, upvotes just mean that people like it. It doesn't mean the post is *right*, especially if it's a subject that most people don't understand well enough to tell if something is right or wrong. That said, there's even more potential problems with *downvotes*.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Comments, people, don't
This explanation focuses on comments, people, don't and spans 116 words across 8 sentences. At 61% above the average Society explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “One major problem is that any people don't really bother reading more than the first page or two of comments.” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 8 connected points.
How This Compares in Society
Ranked #100 of 500 Society questions by answer depth (top 21%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why the upvote system flawed?
One major problem is that any people don't really bother reading more than the first page or two of comments. This means they're only seeing the top-rated comments, and upvoting those. Any comments that come later never get read or ever have a…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Society questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 116 words, ranked #100 of 500 Society questions by depth. The key concepts covered are comments, people, don't.
What approach does this answer take to explain the upvote system flawed?
The explanation uses direct explanation across 116 words. It is categorized under Society and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.