[otterley]

I agree that that's not a best practice. It's not what the downvote mechanism was intended for.

[tracker1]

In a way, iirc, it really is. It's as much a "I disagree" as it is "I don't like this". That said, I would like to see more people actually respond in addition to a downvote.

I don't think that's generally a function of the moderators though.

[MrMcCall]

Flagging is used by people who have no rebuttal but are mad.

That's why I have only flagged one or two posts, ever, but not because I was mad, but because the comment was just plain beyond the pale.

And my posts against portaying violent rape in film got flagged.

Make it make sense, because I understand the failure of this system because systems are my trade-in-craft.

[jraph]

Nope, sometimes I would have a rebuttal but flagging is the better option (constructive discussion is hard without mutual respect, and/or don't feed the troll). Or, the comment doesn't even have anything to refute, it's just disrespectful or it's spam, or both.

I have flagged a few comments but I'm rarely mad.

And if one is mad because of a disrespectful comment, the flagging is probably appropriate too.

[MrMcCall]

> constructive discussion is hard without mutual respect

Yes, indeed.

[AlexeyBelov]

> Flagging is used by people who have no rebuttal but are mad

This is cope, just like "I'm being downvoted for speaking the truth!". Nobody thinks "wow, they said a true statement, I should downvote them".

I suggest you try to steelman the idea of flagging and see that maybe there could be other things at play.

[MrMcCall]

> Nobody thinks "wow, they said a true statement, I should downvote them".

Precisely. That's the biggest problem with closed-minded fools.

[AlexeyBelov]

I don't understand your point, sorry.

Or maybe you misunderstand (on purpose?). I'm saying you attribute those downvotes incorrectly. It's maybe natural to do so as an instinct -- "those people are against me!" -- but on HN it's expected to be a bit more introspective. It's incorrect to say that "people downvote because I'm right" or "people downvote because they have nothing to say".