But the rating isn't to please one person; isn't it supposed to help others wade through the enormous # of threads? That is what I am reading. Hence, you just contradicted yourself. If a negative rating is strictly a personal problem of the rater, it is thus meaningless. If you disagree with that, then you are a victim of the emotionalism you accuse others of having.

There are more negatives than positives if you feel that adding personal dislike of a person is justifiable cause for giving a negative rating. This right there should show why ratings can be nothing more than a means of expressing like or dislike for a person which is thus completely irrelevant. The ratings are supposed to be there to help others judge content; not whether you personally hate or like somebody. Thus you show how ratings can be abused.

Thanks again for reinforcing more than ever that your interest in ratings includes expessing your personal feelings about the person. You right there give a solid example of how ratings can be abused. To rank a low "Happy Birthday" thread on some HB threads because you don't like the people??? Yup, thanks for that example. You did more than I could have without that stellar example. ^