I just want to say that from this day forward I will be no longer using the reputation system. Unless somebody posts a really outstanding thread/post I will give no more 'thumbs up'. As for 'smites' no one will ever receive a smite from me regardless of how 'bad' their post might be.
The Reputation system has undermined Susan's mission, which is to unite everyone and remind us all that we have many things in common. I have been a member here since October 2008 and I lurked for at least two years before that and in my opinion Susan's has never been so full of self-righteous, highly argumentative people as it is now. We go from one divisive thread to.another. You want examples? Well think of Valerie's recent return thread. She went from 0-0 to something like 19+, -8 in a matter of days. This is divisive. Look at the thread about why certain mtfs behave like gay men. In that thread smites have been showered on members like confetti at a wedding. In that latter example Wonderdyke has picked up a lot of smites none of them justified in my opinion. Did Valerie deserve 19 'thumbs up' and eight 'smites'? No.
People are starting to draw up a 'friends' and 'enemies' list. This 'list' is still at the casual and unofficial stage but if the reputation system stays then we can expect to see this 'list' hardened into something much more serious. This is of course highly divisive and very damaging. Members are starting to disrespect others because they think 'that is that person who 'attacked' Valerie, I am a Valerie supporter I am going to give this person a smite just because I know they disagree with me and my best friend Valerie, now how can I make it look like I am giving this smite for what they posted in this present thread?' Of course some people also think 'that person is an 'enemy' of Valerie's, how can I give her a thumbs up without looking suspicious? My enemies' enemy is my friend after all.' Now admittedly I have exaggerated the situation somewhat to make a point, but if something isn't done now then we may witness the beginning of the end of Susan's. I have been at a forum where a civil war broke out and it is uglier than you can imagine. Civil wars are always very bitter, at this forum 90% of the long-term members left and a year later they still have not returned.. The place is a shadow of itself. Three or so regular members try to keep the place going but even they are posting less and less.
