The Tao of Karma

We've had these little Karma buttons on each post for just over 3 months now, its interesting to watch what happens. Typically the first few votes are fairly +ve, then we get a whole tranche of -ve votes, and then over time more +ve again.

The - ve votes seem to arrive in packs, is this a sign of collusion?

The +ve votes don't seem to have much of a pattern except rewarding agreeing with popular wisdom. We of course think this blog is full of wit, erudition and good sense - but that don't seem to matter nearly as much as saying what everyone likes to hear....

Simillarly, we've noticed that -ve votes are very focussed on subject (un) popularity rather than any discernable type of article style, wit or even argument. No doubt some articles are worse than others, but that does not seem to draw the ire as much as going against the grain of the zeitgeist at any time.

And insult Twitter at your peril

(Having said that, the worst voted article was an early and fairly lame attempt to define different types of social net and its applications)

As we're always looking to improve, comments on what works and what doesn't are welcome.

Also others' experience of karma etc is welcome...we see blogs with glowing stars and think lucky them, great stuff...and then...hmmmm....no karma trolls or are they manipulating that

Not promising we'll change of course....the Karma chameleon approach of changing our colours just to go for popularity isn't what this blog is about.

Mixing metaphysics.....