7 replies to this topic

[Pilesar]

One of my recent responses in these forums received negative feedback. 

( https://www.cheresou...tp/#entry124525 )

That is the third time this year I received negative feedback with no further explanation offered.

I have noticed others getting negative feedback on what I consider very valuable responses -- most recently in the 'Air Cooler Fan Shutdown' thread. I seek to understand what the feedback means.

 

If I were to request help and someone offered assistance in good faith that didn't really solve the problem, my response would be along the lines of 'Thank you for your suggestion. It doesn't address the problem I have. Here is additional information to make my problem clearer and another request for assistance.'

I would put that response into words. Or I might decide that no response would be required. 

When someone takes action to give unexplained negative feedback to me or others in these forums, I struggle to interpret what it means.

Here are a couple of the possible meanings I ascribe to negative feedback:

1. Your answer made me feel bad and marking 'not like' on your post makes me feel better. Go away and don't make me feel bad again.

2. I cannot communicate effectively in words and cannot use rude hand gestures in this forum so will give negative feedback instead. 

 

Perhaps this is an example of the 'generation gap' between older workers and younger workers. Maybe younger workers mean something entirely different when they give unexplained negative feedback. I am trying to learn the new ways that just seem like rudeness to me but perhaps I am just interpreting negative feedback wrong. After getting unexplained negative feedback in August (https://www.cheresou...le/#entry124202) I received additional negative feedback on my request for more information about what it meant. Can someone attempt to teach me so I can better understand?

 

If you decide to respond to this post with a 'down arrow', please also use words to communicate if you are able. Thanks.

 

[Bobby Strain]

Maybe the administrators can remove the feedback arrows. They really don't help communication. I have never gotten a "no like". Probably because I never checked.

 

Bobby

[katmar]

I understand your frustration because in the linked thread you gave the student very good and relevant advice. Over the years I have had very few negative comments, but it does happen on the forums.

What we experience is a small taste of what the big YouTube vloggers go through every day and I believe we can learn from the vloggers when they say "There will always be haters - just ignore them". Fortunately, most of us are experienced enough to know that we are giving good advice and those asking are simply too inexperienced to appreciate it. It is just a case of them "not knowing what they do not know" or not appreciating the extent of their ignorance. This syndrome even has a name - the Dunning-Kruger effect.

One day Lolita21 will wake up and think "That was actually very good advice that Pilesar gave me!". In the meantime we should just ignore their comments. There are far more comments expressing gratitude, so let us concentrate on those.

I don't think the feedback arrows should be removed. I would be quite happy for someone to use them to indicate that I have offered poor advice, as long as they explain why - which is what Pilesar was also requesting.

[Bobby Strain]

With the arrows gone, if one wants to give feedback they must reply. It's good to hear from you Harvey.

 

Bobby

[Pilesar]

I can see the usefulness of down arrows as being a warning against wrong information that might lead to a safety hazard, marking an abusive post, or disapproval of intentional breaking of forum rules. Anonymous member feedback is not always from the original poster. I view up-arrows as effective 'attaboys' meant to give encouragement. Are givers of anonymous down-arrows trying to discourage participation? I just don't figure out another motive unless it is some habit carried over from some popular social media platform.

[breizh]

Hi,

Like everyone I've been frustrated with negative feedback , even I was doing my best to support .The worst ,probably is when the query is not documented and you try to figure out what the request is about and imagine an answer . 

To me the forum is about helping each other and to provide  support for the people to build their experience . 

Have a good day all.

knowledge kept is nothing, knowledge shared is everything. 

Breizh

[SilverShaded]

Not much you can do about negative comments and I learned years ago not to take much notice.  At any one time i'm actively working with various clients in all regions of the world and your allways going to get people who think they know stuff and want to disgaree with something your saying, sometimes theyre right, sometimes they have absolutely no idea but have an opinion anyway.

 

Here's a 3000 yr old quote;

 

"People mostly don't listen to facts, they simply want to give you their own worthless opinion".

 

As engineers, dicussion should allways be fact based but often isn't.

[latexman]

I think sometimes it's punishment because we cannot read their mind, and give them the most concise, perfect answer.  Or, it could be for my, "Who do you think we are, The Amazing Kreskin?" routine.