# Is there a rule regarding "+1" in "Great Debates" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 21, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868 "2013-01-21T03:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![James52637](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@James52637](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James52637)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/1 "2013-01-21T03:53:13Z")
Would it be considered spam, not necessary, or be any form of a problem for people to “+1” a quote from a thread in Great Debates? I see very few people ever do it, yet there are so many fantastic chances to. I just wanted to make sure it’s not going to be against any form of a rule to do this. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/2 "2013-01-21T04:21:44Z")
Please don’t. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/3 "2013-01-21T04:22:47Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Please don’t. +1. And reported for forum change. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/4 "2013-01-21T04:25:25Z")
Moved to ATMB from GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/5 "2013-01-21T04:27:40Z")
While not technically against the rules, it would be utterly pointless. The intent of GD is to make arguments in favor or against some proposition. Merely posting +1 contributes absolutely nothing to the debate. So don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/6 "2013-01-21T04:31:35Z")
Unless, of course, you add substantive content after the “+1”. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/7 "2013-01-21T04:34:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > +1. > > And reported for forum change. Like ---
**Author:** ![James52637](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@James52637](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James52637)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/8 "2013-01-21T04:51:04Z")
Alrighty. Sorry. I know it’s a common tactic used in other forums that have regular debates, just to show other people support a point so someone involved in the debate doesn’t feel like they’re getting “gang-banged” or whatever you’d like to call it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/9 "2013-01-21T05:02:37Z")
Here we prefer that you make a substantive response. The popularity of a viewpoint should have nothing to do with its actual validity. ---
**Author:** ![James52637](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@James52637](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James52637)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/10 "2013-01-21T05:03:43Z")
Okay, I understand that. I apologize for asking, I guess? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/11 "2013-01-21T05:06:12Z")
We’re a pretty secure crowd here-- we don’t need no stinkin’ _people who like our points._ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/12 "2013-01-21T05:06:36Z")
> [@James52637](#): > > Okay, I understand that. I apologize for asking, I guess? No reason to apologize. This forum is different from most online forums. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/13 "2013-01-21T05:12:20Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > No reason to apologize. This forum is different from most online forums. _snerk_ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/14 "2013-01-21T05:26:06Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > _snerk_ For example, in many moderated online forums criticism of moderation is a bannable offense. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/15 "2013-01-21T15:57:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > For example, in many moderated online forums criticism of moderation is a bannable offense. 😉 **wistful sigh** ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/16 "2013-01-21T16:14:40Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > **wistful sigh** Like we didn’t know that already. ETA: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/17 "2013-01-21T18:21:47Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > … not technically against the rules […] don’t do it. Um, er… okay. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/18 "2013-01-21T18:52:09Z")
It’s not against the rules, it’s just against the culture. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-rule-regarding-1-in-great-debates/647868/19 "2013-01-21T19:22:17Z")
And we got lotsa culcha! :: smacks gum ::