It's no surprise that this would be common, especially in some subverses. But those that are supposed to be serious and for discussion often get poisoned by this. Up-votes and down-votes can make things rather one-sided and into a hive-mind of sorts.
How can we, mods or the community at large prevent hive mind mentality? Even if people don't downvote comments or posts that go against their beliefs they are less inclined to upvote than someone that agrees and makes other good points. Doesn't this foster some sort of hive mentality and where is it a good thing and where is it a bad thing? If I don't have an opinion yet about a topic and the highest comments are all about x is really y does this mean that it is right?
Does this promote conformity and stifle discussion indirectly?
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[–] Stavon ago
I don't think so, there are communities with less hivemind, but they are made up of smaller communities with a lot of hivemind.
That's possible, although some members of a hive can be extremist enough to block this.
Most people don't actually want to discussed, but be told that they're right. That's how the hives grow.
Probably, but users in disliked hives will move to their own
It seems so, for any number of people sharing some kind of "culture".