# This board needs "likes" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 13, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496 "2019-04-13T13:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/101 "2019-04-19T18:48:49Z")
Well, that’s settled. ---
**Author:** ![zuer-coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ba9def/32.png) [@zuer-coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuer-coli)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/102 "2019-04-19T21:43:02Z")
I concur with all the posts in opposition to “like” buttons and their ilk. If I don’t much care for some position or even where I do, it adds nothing to signify my agreement or disagreement without providing something to the conversation. Respectfully yours Zuer-coli ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/103 "2019-04-19T21:50:48Z")
> [@zuer-coli](#): > > I concur with all the posts in opposition to “like” buttons and their ilk. If I don’t much care for some position or even where I do, it adds nothing to signify my agreement or disagreement without providing something to the conversation. > > Respectfully yours Zuer-coli Exactly. That’s what’s wrong with Democracy. People just vote, which adds nothing. Every vote should have an accompanying essay to count. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/104 "2019-04-20T17:22:37Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > “Like” “Meh”. See, we should have lots more buttons to cover a range of emotions, like: “Fabulous!” “O.K.” “Are you f\*\*cking kidding me?” “Meh” and “I like pie” ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/105 "2019-04-20T17:51:43Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Exactly. That’s what’s wrong with Democracy. People just vote, which adds nothing. Every vote should have an accompanying essay to count. The appropriate analogy with a “Like” button is (a) everybody votes on some particular issue, and (b) the results are posted on a website, and then _ **absolutely nothing happens** _. I don’t think that’s how actual democracy works. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/106 "2019-05-06T05:08:06Z")
Just ran across a type of post that would benefit from a “like” button and where any kind of written response would not add to the conversation. Joke posts. There was a 2 word post that made me chuckle. Responding with “funny” wouldn’t add to the conversation at all and would clutter up the thread. But it would be nice to show some appreciation for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/107 "2019-05-06T11:39:48Z")
Alas, you must love us from afar. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/108 "2019-05-06T12:21:58Z")
_What the board needs now is likes, sweet likes…_ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/109 "2019-05-06T13:02:00Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Just ran across a type of post that would benefit from a “like” button and where any kind of written response would not add to the conversation. Joke posts. There was a 2 word post that made me chuckle. Responding with “funny” wouldn’t add to the conversation at all and would clutter up the thread. But it would be nice to show some appreciation for it. Unfortunately, it just can’t happen with the version of vBulletin currently in use. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/110 "2019-05-06T14:01:22Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Just ran across a type of post that would benefit from a “like” button and where any kind of written response would not add to the conversation. Joke posts. There was a 2 word post that made me chuckle. Responding with “funny” wouldn’t add to the conversation at all and would clutter up the thread. But it would be nice to show some appreciation for it. Worse comes to worse, drop the poster a PM congratulating them on getting a laugh from you and adding some humor to it all. I’ve done as much and gotten a couple like that; they have always been appreciated. In other words praise that isn’t public is still a worthwhile endeavor. ---
**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:** [May 11, 2019, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/111 "2019-05-11T06:51:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Unfortunately, it just can’t happen with the version of vBulletin currently in use. You misspelled “fortunately.” ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/112 "2019-05-11T07:38:11Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Just ran across a type of post that would benefit from a “like” button and where any kind of written response would not add to the conversation. Joke posts. There was a 2 word post that made me chuckle. Responding with “funny” wouldn’t add to the conversation at all and would clutter up the thread. But it would be nice to show some appreciation for it. “Like” > [@kopek](#): > > Worse comes to worse, drop the poster a PM congratulating them on getting a laugh from you and adding some humor to it all. I’ve done as much and gotten a couple like that; they have always been appreciated. In other words praise that isn’t public is still a worthwhile endeavor. That’s not a terrible idea, but (1) it takes more time than most people want to spend; (2) it awkwardly starts a conversation that people might not really care to get tied up in; (3) public recognition is way better. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > You misspelled “fortunately.” Riiight, because the existence of a little icon below a post, with a little number next to it, would just ruin that post–or the entire board. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/113 "2019-05-11T17:10:09Z")
And the absence of said little icon would do the same. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/114 "2019-05-11T18:49:42Z")
Do you really think the benefits of its presence for those who value them are somehow less than the drawbacks(?) for those who don’t? How does that work? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/115 "2019-05-11T18:56:52Z")
I think the “benefits” are so small as to be negligible. ---
**Author:** ![Teddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Teddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teddie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/116 "2019-05-11T18:59:14Z")
I like the idea of some kind of ‘Like’ button. I don’t post regularly as I’m somewhat intimidated by the board as a whole and don’t think my posts would be intelligent or interesting enough to share. I do read many posts though that I’d like to give a thumbs up to or some kind of recognition to. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/117 "2019-05-11T20:09:30Z")
> [@Teddie](#): > > I like the idea of some kind of ‘Like’ button. > > I don’t post regularly as I’m somewhat intimidated by the board as a whole and **don’t think my posts would be intelligent or interesting enough to share.** I do read many posts though that I’d like to give a thumbs up to or some kind of recognition to. The bolded part never stops ME. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Teddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Teddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teddie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/118 "2019-05-11T21:16:43Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > The bolded part never stops ME. 😃 I fear being made to look stupid :(☹ I know it wouldn’t matter a jot but I like this place and to be shot down in flames would bother me, silly I know. It’s just I’ve seen new posters here or people who don’t post regularly post on a thread and they’ve been made to feel very unwelcome or their post has been seen as completely superfluous so that’s a reason I don’t post as and when I’d like to. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/119 "2019-05-11T22:21:24Z")
Suppose there were some magic code that let us give a thumb’s up that disappeared after24 hours? Can’t we all just get along? ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496/120 "2019-05-11T22:26:53Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I think the “benefits” are so small as to be negligible. And yet. –Many other posters here have made it clear that they feel differently. –The largest platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Reddit) that dwarf this board’s traffic by many orders of magnitude operate differently. –And again: those who don’t value it would not lose anything. There are all kinds of icons and errata all over the place around posts as it is. One more teensy icon would not hurt anyone. You could just completely ignore it and not have it change your experience in any way. –Therefore, it’s hard to interpret opposition as anything but peevishness. > [@Teddie](#): > > I like the idea of some kind of ‘Like’ button. > > I don’t post regularly as I’m somewhat intimidated by the board as a whole and don’t think my posts would be intelligent or interesting enough to share. I do read many posts though that I’d like to give a thumbs up to or some kind of recognition to. This is a good point too, that as an active poster hadn’t occurred to me as much as other advantages. For the lurker, a like button allows them to interact with the board, risk free. Interacting makes someone more engaged with the board, and more likely to stick around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-board-needs-likes/832496.md?page=7)