# What is the reason to not use reputation points?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [9월 6, 2015, 2:25오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961 "2015-09-06T14:25:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Goktug\_Yilmaz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Goktug_Yilmaz)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:25오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/1 "2015-09-06T14:25:08Z")
Stack Exchange, Reddit and a lot of forums have reputation points. It shows other users who’s been active and posting quality content and it creates an incentive for people to post and reply.
It creates a positive feedback loop. Why would Discourse not use this good mechanism? Do you guys see something I am not seeing?
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:38오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/2 "2015-09-06T14:38:39Z")
> [@Goktug\_Yilmaz](#):
>
> it creates an incentive for people to post and reply.
Not always a good thing.
Are you replying to get reputation points or because you genuinely have something to add to the topic?
Lots of other forum things … gallery, index page with widgets feeding from forum, rewrite Farmville.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:48오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/3 "2015-09-06T14:48:06Z")
Can’t we just continue that discussion here?
> [@Reputation Spec: Proposal and Critique](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reputation-spec-proposal-and-critique/29696/8):
>
> > [@Reputation Spec: Proposal and Critique](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reputation-spec-proposal-and-critique/29696/3):
> >
> > I can only see this as a plugin. I think this would have some possibly severe repercussions to community.
>
> Can you elaborate please?
Based on the anecdotal evidence of having participated in many such communities, I think reputation systems have a high tendency to create an involuntary “I’m better than you”-effect, similar in nature to the “IT’S OVER 9000!-post count”. Think the /r/thebutton experiment - a self-formed class society of “Greys” and “Reds” - without the “we’ll all laugh about this afterwards” roleplay factor. It’s borderline creepy sometimes, the effect a number (compared constantly to other numbers) can have on someone’s psyche.
Yes, these concepts exist on a forum like Discourse as well; post counts are still there, as are trust levels, but they’re hidden by default. They’re played down, not up, and that makes a big difference. Discourse distinguishes between “Member” and “Regular”, but it doesn’t distinguish between RegularUserX and RegularUserY, which is the point where you may start to value your worth as a community member based on an arbitrary number that’s inflated by behaviour that doesn’t necessarily benefit the community as a whole.
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### Author:  [@Goktug\_Yilmaz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Goktug_Yilmaz)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:51오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/4 "2015-09-06T14:51:20Z")
No. That topic is about proposal and critique and a different system. I did try to reply to your post as a linked topic but the system kindly did not respond in any way, so I opened a new topic 😕
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### Author:  [@Goktug\_Yilmaz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Goktug_Yilmaz)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:55오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/5 "2015-09-06T14:55:54Z")
If your post/comment doesn’t add anything to the topic, how is the person going to earn reputation? It is by default given by the community and it is earned.
If you are replying to get reputation points but in the process add something to the topic is that a bad thing?
If a user is posting useful content, how are they supposed to get consistent feedback for their positive actions?
I see your point and agree that there are cases where it is a really bad thing, but it seems good to me at the places I visit at least.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 2:55오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/6 "2015-09-06T14:55:54Z")
Okay, fair enough. I quoted the exchange in its entirety so the “philosophical” discussion can continue here instead.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 3:34오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/7 "2015-09-06T15:34:15Z")
I’ve been a member of a lot of forums over the years, some use the reputation system.
I’ve never been interested in giving or receiving.
I do however use the LIKE button on Discourse forums.
It might be the word “reputation” and the fact it is calculated and could be manipulated.
Cliques of users giving each other rep points. One user with multiple logins …
I prefer the current trust level system. Perhaps these should be extended between levels 2-3.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 3:38오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/8 "2015-09-06T15:38:13Z")
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Perhaps these should be extended between levels 2-3.
That’s yet another different discussion 😉
> [@Are TL3 and TL2 requirements too different?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/are-tl3-and-tl2-requirements-too-different/31353):
>
> Take a look at this: Regular: 32 Member: 827 :- Guess that read 25% of topics created in the last 100 days in a very active forum it’s really hard. For example in meta are 300 topics.. no bad smile Am I wrong? Do you think an intermediate level could be useful?
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 4:00오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/9 "2015-09-06T16:00:30Z")
Now I’ve read the discussion in the links you provided. Thanks.
Because of the privileges given at TL3 the gulf between the two levels is necessary.
So ignore my posts and give me negative reps.
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### Author:  [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [9월 6, 2015, 10:21오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/10 "2015-09-06T22:21:44Z")
When we have a really flexible badge system why rely on something as crude as upvotes?
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### Author:  [@alefattorini](https://meta.discourse.org/u/alefattorini)
#### Post date: [9월 7, 2015, 12:50오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/11 "2015-09-07T12:50:09Z")
I like badges and TL very much and obviously dislike point or posts numbers as @erlend_sh has explained that very well:
> [@Reputation Spec: Proposal and Critique](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reputation-spec-proposal-and-critique/29696/9):
>
but why don’t think to a default organization for badges, by level, as I have already suggested here?
> [@Define additional badge types](https://meta.discourse.org/t/define-additional-badge-types/31781):
>
> Continuing the discussion from [Badges feedback](https://meta.discourse.org/t/badges-feedback/13789/11): Let me resurrect this thread, I need additional types/colours like Platinum, Diamond, ecc.. Groups are not enough for my purpose. Is there any chance?
it could be a good a good alternative.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [6월 25, 2018, 6:39오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-reason-to-not-use-reputation-points/32961/12 "2018-06-25T06:39:01Z")
Continued here:
> [@My thoughts about ‘reputation’ or ‘karma’](https://meta.discourse.org/t/my-thoughts-about-reputation-or-karma/89566):
>
> As @jomaxro [mentioned](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-follow-and-friend-other-users/1584/72) the core thing about Discourse that it was built around topics and ideas. But no one can deny that there are actually two global things in each forum: topic and a person. And one thing cannot exist without another. When user creates a new topic in 70% of cases he expects the feedback on his thoughts, and he expects that this topic is important for peoples around him. The essential measure of human’s gratitude is a ‘karma’ or ‘reputation’. If I like person’s topic I press on…