Show Me Your Balls or Get Out
Oct 22 '00
When you rate me, you're talking to me. It's often no more than a nod while passing each other in the virtual hallway, but nevertheless I expect that nod to be courteous.
Just like the strangers we pass in the corridors of life, ratings are quickly forgotten. We try our best, attempt to be gracious in accepting the judgment of our supposed peers, and we go on with life, all in the space of a few seconds.
Unless You Somewhat Recommend Me.
Then you have my attention for another three minutes. Five if you do it anonymously.
I don't write Somewhat Recommended reviews.
Early on, when we were all getting her sea legs here, I did. Absolutely. Except, by the standards of the day, they were more like Recommended reviews. Standards have since changed. I'm fine with that. We all have the power to edit our old stuff. I have been here long enough to know how not to write a SR epinion. I strive to meet my HR standards, but all I can guarantee is something higher than a SR. Tastes vary.
I repeat: I don't write Somewhat Recommended reviews. Tastes do vary, and everyone has their own idea of how to rate, but I feel we should be able to agree on a what is never a SR. If a person writes an epinion which is informative, thorough, courteous, topical, well-intentioned, contains no significant factual errors (like weight, size, etc.), and is not plagiarized, it is never Somewhat Recommended.
I don't care if you just wrote exactly 100 words on why AOL is the bees knees and found room to tell a barely-related joke to warm the audience up. If you find a way to politely give me a great deal of useful information and obviously care about doing so, then I'll give you at least a R.
Admittedly I have a hard time imagining how you could do it in 100 words, but that's the minimum Epinions sets, and since they hope we write HR-worthy epinions they must believe it can be done. People rate me unfairly based solely on size (my epinions are "too long" for some), and although I don't think I'll ever see a 100-word HR epinion, I try to stay open-minded. (Even if I'll be totally shocked if it can be done.)
And yes, I would hate to thumbs-up an epinion for a product I dislike, but if it's a useful epinion, my prejudice is going to have to jump in the back seat.
I Do, Sometimes, Write Recommended Reviews.
There is a thin line between R and HR. Sometimes I don't know which to pick when rating. Especially when you read a H-H-HR epinion then one which would have been an easy HR if you hadn't just read the amazing one. The second one will still be a HR, but you regret that you can't give special recognition to the first one. All you can do is check your dials to make sure you're rating fairly and judging each epinion on its own merits and not compared to others, then carry on.
I understand that everyone has their own dials. I will never give a HR to an epinion which uses "UR" for "you're" except for purposes of comedy. If you think that's unfair, distrust me, I understand. Really, no hard feelings. I boggle at those people who take members off their Web of Trust just because the members haven't written anything in awhile. What, did those members' epinions suddenly become bad? Or is someone terribly obsessed with keeping that "Trusts" number fashionably smaller than the "Trusted By" number?
There are so many little areas like that where we could debate for days. We all have different things we want to read. Some people won't HR a movie review unless it summarizes the plot. Me, I already read the plot summary when I went to that epinion category, so I'm going to be looking for more personal opinion and less restating of information we can hear anywhere.
Like I said, we all have our own idea of where the line is between R and HR. I write what I'd like to read. You may not like what I write. I accept that. If I could write things which pleased everyone, I'd be a multi-millionaire.
But because I always give enough information about a product to keep me out of what I consider to be "the theoretically universally understood SR-range", then you better Recommend that review, because that's the minimum I deserve. Always.
Geez Liff, How Arrogant Can You Get?
It does sound a bit egotistical, huh? I don't mean to come across like that. But since many people here who are currently "active" on the site write at least at the Recommended level, I think you know what I mean. Especially if you're involved enough to be reading Editorials. Odds are You never write Somewhat Recommended epinions either.
What set me off tonight, and keep in mind that I'm not really upset because I know these things happen, plus my life is full of larger concerns, was that I wrote an epinion on Taco Bell and it was Somewhat Recommended. Anonymously.
I'm Not Necessarily Opposed to Anonymous Rating.
But I can only think of one occasion when I would use it: when a vengeance NR/SR is likely. I apologize if that sounds selfish, but I don't always get very many hits and a NR/SR from someone with a huge rubber-stamped Web of Trust can affect my placement.
You Don't Have to Anonymously NR/SR Me. I'm Not Going to Bite.
I don't retaliate with a low rating. I'm not going to say I've never rated irresponsibly. When I joined at the start of the year, in those first few days when I was very new here, I rated a few epinions as NR/SR because I disagreed. I wasn't rating on the presentation and detail of information, and that wasn't fair.
I'm very, very sorry I did it. I wish there was some way to see all the epinions I ever rated. I would make amends quickly. I still feel bad about it. If you're reading this and I rated you unfairly during this time period, please let me know.
So I understand that other newbies may be doing the same thing. But we all know there are still many people who have been around long enough to know better. Yet they are still rating based on agreement, length of epinion, and whether your member page photo is cute enough.
How To SR/NR Me Without Being Distrusted.
If you give me a SR or a NR and don't leave a comment, you're on my Web of Distrust. Instantly. I don't care what you write, you don't know how to rate. Again, I'm not talking about reviews from the early days. For instance, my first epinion is definite SR material. No question. If you want vengeance, go for it there. The only reason I haven't fixed it is because I'm sentimental.
Because there is a huge amount of research behind all of my recent epinions, something I do because it's fun, same as the rest of you who like to shoot for the HR, I am never going to believe I deserve a SR or NR. I already said that.
But as unbelievably egotistical as I may be sounding here, my mind is still open. If you leave a comment and explain your rating, I'm going to read it and consider your advice. I promise.
Don't email me with your thoughts. I want that comment out there where others can take it under consideration. Maybe it will work against me and cause others to change their rating to something lower. I'm willing to take that chance.
The worst that can happen when you leave a comment is that I might edit my review and improve it. There's no way you can lose by leaving a comment, and we all can win.
If you don't have time to leave a comment, don't rate me. If you don't have time for the one, you don't have time for the other.
After you leave a comment, follow the link to be notified about any new comments for that epinion. I expect you to re-evaluate your rating if I decide to edit my review.
Do I always leave a comment when I SR/NR? No. Sometimes this is justified, like with "a a a a a a" epinions or plagiarists (whom I then report). Sometimes 30 other people have already SR'd so I don't feel motivated to explain.
However, from now on I will be following my own instructions and leaving comments for all NR/SR ratings where an honest attempt was being made.
If I've given you a NR/SR and you think it's unfair, please contact me and I'll explain it.
That's all this epinion is about. If you're serious about your low rating, then have the guts to leave a comment. Otherwise, walk away. Don't ring the door bell and run. Your SR/NR doesn't improve the quality of the writing here when we don't know if you have genuine criticism which one can respect, even when we don't agree, or if you're just petty. Show me your cajones or get out.
The title of this epinion was chosen with the idea that since "ballsy" is now heard on network broadcast television, it's probably socially acceptable to use "balls" where we once said "guts". You may not agree.
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Epinions.com ID:
Liffey
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Reviews written: 79
Trusted by: 71 members
About Me:
I like thinking.
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