In today’s society, everyone has an opinion concerning just about everything. This cultural phenomenon is clearly apparent everywhere. In recent iVote polls though, too many people are refusing to take a side, and commenting that we should be allowed to answer “BOTH”, “NEITHER”, or just something other than the choices given. Instead they are choosing to bash others who do choose a side. This app was designed for interactivity and creative dialogue between sometimes random users, across all cultures, continents, and communities. It is a real time way to get an opinion on a topic of varying degrees of seriousness.
If you cannot choose a side on a particular topic, then choose to remain silent. This app exists to spur conversation, contemplation, and consideration of many things. Too many “kids” are choosing to just be argumentative and not communicative.If you cannot decide for just one option then please do NOT spam the comments with: “Lame Question!”, “repeat”, “who cares”..etc….
If you don’t have an opinion, then in the words of an immortal goddess, “say nothing at all“.
If you choose a side, then by all means, explain, defend, and promote your position in a manner that exemplifies patience, open-mindedness, and understanding.
Please comment! We want your voice to be heard. Just do it with all pleasantries and politeness.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I try to fight over my insticts by trying not so say “Who Cares!” and stuff like that, and with relief I have succeded. I find it annoying now that people do such things and should just stay out of the picture. But I think iVote are being a bit harsh. Especially on the “kids” part. You can’t say a kid is doing it. The developers are starting to sound like some of the users here. And anyway - why are my comments not being displayed? I feel fed up when I can’t give my lice on a question due to a bug, or maybe even an intentional block. I’m not critiising iVote - I love it! Just take this into consideration. And I am one of the many people who are agaisnt an age filter. But I can’t blame them, even if I want to reply to someone they won’t hear. If I am under peoples age filter, we could have a private message feature?
Sorry my comment was posted via the iPhone: mind the spelling mistakes.
I second what Tigernose says about the age filter. Is a grown adult mature enough to have their comments housed seperately, but cannot hold the same dignity and maturity to overlook the comments that are meant to be a nuisance? Many a time I am the other side of the debate, usually to represent a minority. Is it fair that I, an iVote Pro user, should not be heard because OF MY AGE? Adults are more hesitant to stand up for what they believe in. Give the kids who want the chance, a fair chance. Thank you, iVote.
Sorry, I understand what iVote meant by “kids” and I admit I would react the same if something I owned was vandalized that many times and on that a scale. I oppose of the be filter because there are users I know better than other, but I can’t reply to their comemnts and they can’t see mine which is really annoying. What if it’s urgent?
If there is going to be a filter make it a maturity filter. Imagine if I had a brainwave, a great comment - something that I said before anyone else but I get no credit and someone else does just because I was under someones limit. One other thing: no one suggeted an age limit! It came out the blue - suddenly it said “age filter” on the update description. It’s as if iVote want to get kids outta there. If so, why don’t you? Just ban everyone who is underage. We’ll hate it but you can do it. So why make an age filter. All you paranoid post-adolescent people who loathe people younger than them: JUST LIVE WITH IT!
The last coupla’ sentences at the end of my last comment was. Not directed iVote. It was to the people who have enable an age limit.
To be honest I have still done a few pointless comments though: (see the question “Did you suck your thumb as a child?”). I have to admit I get pretty annoyed myself.
But the problem is, why did an age filter be released when no one had suggested it. It’s almost as if iVote wanted to block kids. Like Brad said; can’t the older ignorant ones who put a filter on actually ignore the stupid comments with their minds. How immature can you be, if you’re going to put on an age filter to block out all the stupid comments, if the people who do then probably inserted a false brithday to get away with it. How immature can you be to think just kids do it. In fact, the kids who actually inserted a real birthday should get praise rather than the ‘kids’ who put a false birthday to avoid the filter. Adults - you’re old enough, with your ‘wisdom’ and ‘experience’ can’t you figure out who’s doing the spamming and not be paranoid.
I have to disagree with the statement that those who are dissatisfied with the choices remain silent. How can one influence the debate if one must remain silent. Frankly right now the only choice is to choose a choice you don’t agree with just so you can comment, in a civil manner, with your true opinion. The problem with this method is that it makes the poll invalid because those who are of another opinion are forced to remain silent or lie just so they can comment with their true opinion. That’s not democracy, that’s fascism!
On the age filter thing: IT DOESN’T KEEP OUT STUPID COMMENTS! I’ve tried enabling it to see if it would get rid of the “first”, “second”, and “(just plain stupid and pointless)” comments, but it turns out that people have either put in a false age, or there really are older people putting up stupid comments. I like Tiger’s idea of a “maturity filter”. You could design a test that would come up as the app launched. It would ask you some questions and then limit your ability to post comments according to the answers. For instance, if a user answered “yes” to “have you ever posted a “first” comment?”, then you could delay the user’s ability to post a comment before at least five others had posted comments on that question! Ok, that idea probably wouldn’t work, since they’d just say “no”. But you could build a database of “known “first” users” (lol) and limit them by that. ANYWAY, the age filter is sort of pointless. It blocks my comments (even from myself), because I’m sixteen, AND it still lets through spam.
On the “not choosing a side” thing: I try to do as you said and always choose a side, or simply not comment. Maybe you should put this message somewhere on the app so it would get more visibility. I don’t think many people visit this site.
I agree that it’s annoying to read all the “first’s” and “who cares” comments, but I overlook them. Banning users who do this seems a little harsh, especially if they don’t have the opportunity to redeem themselves. The topic of this blog is what really gets to me though. The reason I use ivote is for the “chat room” aspect. I gravitate mostly towards the political questions and I love a good debate…but really, what’s the point if we now have to worry about being banned for saying something that the moderator deems childish or offensive? Really, these days, what can you say that isn’t offensive?! I digress. Maybe ivote should post a couple of questions from different categories every couple of hours…that might weed out some of the “offenders.” Anyway, just saying- I use ivote for the chat room feature. Don’t take it away.
What I’ve found strange is people putting comments like “I don’t know, so don’t neg me” all over the place. If you’re not sure, wouldn’t the most logical thing be to find out, and THEN answer with a little bit of knowledge?
Other times, we see ridiculous questions that really have no relevance to society, except those who believe sports of TV shows are what is really important. Inane questions like those seem to be either the most asked, or the more allowed, and it’s a sad indication of the level of thought in either instance.
Serious questions tend to receive more negative questions from ignorant people, and less intelligent answers by those who actually do understand something of the topic, although those “seem” to be rising somewhat, and I’ve seen longer, more reasoned comments over the last little while, so this is a good sign.
I would hope that people would spend a little more time thinking about what questions are truly important to society, that might prod people into actually thinking BEFORE they respond, or to get people moving towards enlightening themselves and doing a little research on what topics are presented, but with the majority of questions being about essentially ridiculous things, I don’t see much chance of this happening in the near future.
It’s a shame that people aren’t using iVote to it’s full potential.
I agree with ElectroPig. If you don’t know anything about a question, then you should do one of these two things:
1.) Don’t even coment on the question
2.) Get some knowledge on it.
I think iVote should eliminate the “I don’t know” option. The question should be limited to people who know something about the topic and who want to have a discussion.
I’ve had several comments to me on my “Profile Wall”,
and I don’t have a clue how to answer them..
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