@firefish5000 You made a good point, actually; having the ability to validate someone's content (or disagree with it if the negative rating is also implemented) does have merit in satisfying that sense of camaraderie we all occasionally feel (or the opposite, again, in the case of a negative rating option) without having to feel like we're cluttering up a thread with simplistic or off-topic comments. I sometimes forget that, just because I don't immediately see the purpose or necessity in something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Regarding people posting comments that are still aimed at seeking reactions, it's true that we can't really predict what users will do, and that trying to reach as many people as possible is natural. However, I think, in the specific case of "reaction-seeking" behavior, I'm--at least, currently--of the belief that, unless you're seeking discussion (i.e. actual posts, regardless of whether they agree or disagree), actively seeking something more base (for lack of a better word) like a reaction is done more for the sake of an imagined, publicly visible sense of clout or validation.
"Look at how many reactions I have! Clearly I am witty and/or insightful", to put it in an overly-exaggerated manner. Having those reactions be privately visible only would be more of a,
"Huh, someone felt something about what I said" response, and wouldn't necessarily--
in theory--encourage people to make reaction-seeking posts, since there's nothing for them to show off. That could admittedly be a very cynical outlook, though.
@AfterMidnightMoon Yeah, that's basically what I was getting at: the person who posted the comment still gets acknowledgement of their content, the person who reacted still gets their satisfaction for weighing in, and no one outside of that transaction is any the wiser. My example above is sort of what I meant about the possible "showmanship" of having a publicly visible, visual indicator of a post's received reactions. I'm admittedly basing this perceived behavior off of sites/communities like reddit where memes quickly become the order of the day in search of those upvotes and reddit gold/silver, as well as a few other places I've witnessed on the internet like the various -chan boards, where posts will sometimes be made just for the chance that someone will come along and give you a virtual pat on the back. There's nothing wrong with the practice in and of itself, but when it starts to become the priority of the community in lieu of actual discussion or interaction, that's when it becomes a problem. Like Firefish stated, though, I don't actually feel like that would become a major issue on this site just because the community, in my experience thus far, has been founded with a sense of civility. People can still reply to comments with longer-form responses, but something quickly applicable and "quantifiable" such as a like or dislike, should probably be kept private just to prevent people posting solely for the sake of trying to amass them.
(Edit: italics and bold text added for style/emphasis.)
