Quicksy doxing owlcatz as an example. Not a peep from any of you outraged citizens. Because we all think that Vod doesn't keep 500 BTC under his mattress, is that what it is?
I generally don't read through reputation threads, which I've made clear several times. I can't talk about something I have never even heard of. I am against every instance of DOXing that I have ever come across. I don't think it matters if anyone actually has 500
BTC under their mattress or not, if you say they have it someone will believe you and maybe someone that believes you is willing to cross that threshold into violence based on the potential payout or simply because they have a vendetta.
Ok, now we're splitting hairs - if I say "I think this is a good post" - is that my opinion or my words based on my opinion? Makes no difference to me. The rank-up thing is a nice bonus but doesn't have to enter the decision process of the merit sender. Agreeing or disagreeing with the recipient is irrelevant.
That would be you using your words to express your opinion. Similar to how you use merit, except you are limited in your expression if you choose to do so with merit, because it only goes one way (up/positive). "The rank up-thing" was the entire purpose of implementing the merit system. It literally effects nothing other than user-rank, so if you are using merit without that in mind then you are operating with an abstract concept of the merit system that almost nobody else would share.
You can't say "I think this is a bad post" with merit. Words are more variable than merit and comparing them is a painful exercise.
We're not splitting hairs.. That seems to be what you're doing, while you pretend like there can be a connotation to merit that is anything but positive. Sending a merit to another user is interacting with their post in a positive manner. You're trying to pretend like merit is neutral, but that's not even close to the case. Words can be used to express an opinion that is negative, positive, neutral or any other descriptor you can fit in there. Receiving merit cannot be seen as a negative and you cannot convince me that sending merit is used negatively.
I'm disappointed in ... you ... continuing mental gymnastics trying to blow this out of proportion.
The only claim that I've even made is: pointing at a house and saying "there's a lot of money in there" is endangering the people in that house. What have I blown out of proportion?
I haven't encouraged those that merited the DOX to be given negative reputation, in fact I disagree with that approach personally, although I do think it would be fair for Vod to receive negative reputation based on being the Doxer. I'm confused how that negative reputation would be seen as "trust abuse", "merit censorship" or whatever else it is being claimed to be.