Jeanette Fontaine
Journal Entries for Jeanette Fontaine
Time for the Ratings System to go...
April 1st, 2007 7:41 pm MDT
Hello again,I'm probably going to get some adverse reactions to this (assuming people actually read my journal posts). But I think it's time for the URNA ratings system to go.I have the utmost respect for Jon, Vicki, and Dan and all they've done for this site and the transgendered community as a whole. I adore this URNotAlone site and I would never have the friends I have without it. And THAT is what is most important to me... friends. But I also have an opinion, and since this is sort of my own little "editorials" page (thanks to Jon/Vicki/Dan for creating it), I'm going to use it to express that opinion.I think the ratings system is good for new members, initially. And by new members, I mean those whose membership is less than 6 months old. It gives new members a chance to meet new people, make new friends, and build self-confidence. And if the ratings system was limited to ONLY new members who've been here less than 6 months, then I think it should stay. But that's not how it works. So I think it's time to get rid of it.People have misused and abused the ratings and have thus turned it into a junior high popularity contest. It has caused people to spend what I have to believe to be nearly every waking moment, online, voting people up or down, to get themselves and/or a friend the coveted brass ring of "Member of the Month". Somehow, ending up as Member of the Month has become the ultimate Transgender Trophy. People give bullshit votes and guestbook comments to complete strangers, just so they can get a "10" vote back from them. They build up a person's confidence and then shoot it back down just as fast, if someone's overall rank gets a little too dangerously high or they get too many votes. This is wrong people, WAKE UP!I myself fell into that same trap the first 6 months or so of my membership 2 years ago. I got lots of votes because I was a new member, and boy did that feel good! Then someone gave me a really low vote, and boy did that hurt! Eventually I too started giving out malicious votes just to get back at people I didn't like or didn't think deserved the overall rank they had. It wasn't until a dear friend of mine showed me the error of my ways, that I stopped what I was doing immediately. I knew deep down I really did NOT harbor that sort of malace toward anybody on here. We're ALL supposed to be on the same side, folks.And these voting games people are playing, I believe are dividing us as a community, not uniting us the way they should. That's not what Jon, Vicki, and Dan made this site about; it shouldn't be that way.And now recently, URNA decided to award people for voting high and voting high often. Will this be good or bad? Time will tell. Personally, I don't think it's a good idea, but again, I'm no authority figure, just someone with my own opinion.I still cast votes now and again; not nearly as much as I used to. But if I believe someone truly deserves a "10", I'll give them a 10. But I'm NOT going to do it, "just to be nice", or "just to become popular" or to make myself look like a good person. I'm only trying to be as genuine as I can, and Jeanette is part of my own unique "genuine-ness". And not being truthful to my fellow sisters by giving a false vote is by no means genuine and truthful. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I feel someone doesn't deserve a high vote, I simply will not vote for them. But I won't give them a low rating just to bring them down. That is wrong.I just don't need a ratings system to rate my true friends or myself. Get to know me, and you will see what kind of person I am. I'm REAL.I welcome anyone else's opinion on this. Thank you~ Jeanettte~
Comments
Logon to Post Comment
© 1995-2008 URNotAlone.com, All Rights Reserved. All items © Copyright by their respective owners, used here with their consent.
Page generated in 0.05 seconds
Jeanette, In the big scheme of things, what does this really matter? I got a vote of 5 on april 1st, from a anonymous voter.... It stung fro a second then the reality sank in...These are men running around in dresses. Please do not take any of this seriously! We know who our friends are and we are fortunate to have URNA and other sites that have our true interest in mind. I gfind the voting highly amusing, When I first came here I wanted a high vote, I wanted approval. By sticking my neck out and asking for friends, I was graced by a few. Some people on here really do deserve low marks. I think continual low marks should be wake up call for some people, but still a mark of five means your half way there. where is there? Where ever you want to be.
Melissa
Jeanette, I turned my ratings permanently OFF a few months after they were introduced on the site. Haven't missed them a bit. Lots of funny stuff going on around here ... fake and multiple profiles, photoshop altered pictures, girl "gangs" who love to lowball the top voters at the last moment. Oh and don't forget the "toughlove" voters who refuse to give anyone a "10". (Or the professor who won't give anyone an "A" just to show how "tough" he is) Seems a lot of the top raters 1)post a ton of guesbook comments ("campaigning") 2)spend a lot of time in the chatroom 3)spend a lot of time on IM ... none of which I do. Brings back memories of high school days.
A friend of mine had some animated discussions with the admins of the site with similar complaints awhile back and one thing was clear: ratings increased the popularity of urnotalone and were here to stay. Besides the subjectivity of the whole thing, I also knew a few gals who got worked up when their friends didn't vote for them. (which kind of defeats the purpose of what friendship is all about) They would moniter the board especially at the end of the month and suffer the inevitable letdown of the "ratings suicide bombers". Was it worth the aggravation? I think not.
The only thing I can say is that the system is pretty corrupt and can't be fixed. That being the case, I think the best thing to do is not participate in this silly game. Annette