cafn8d wrote:
I can see where Eve is coming from. In many cases, when someone brings up complaints or quibbles about a lack of voting, it is, in my opinion, reasonable to question the altruism of the speaker. It is nothing personal; it is just the patterns of PSC voting and ensuing discussions which have promoted such cynicism. If you do not happen to fall under that generality, congratulations.
Hmm a flexing of the lexicon there cafn8d (like the coffee drink)
I do agree with the supposition that the patterns of psc voting seem to have been influenced in some way by the discussions insighted by highlighting in posts on the forum however i don't think that is the source of the cynicism.
the lack of voting could be due to just lazyness on the part of the voter...
thinking of the voting as a tactical game rather than a fair contest the voting falls into these catagories...
1) if i dont vote thats one less vote for the competition and thusly more chance i will win... (studies have shown that people will sacrifice thier own gain to make sure others will forfeit any gain) this is especially true with identification within an "in group vs out group" environment, where the external party or out group are not deserving of any accomplisment and only my ingroup is... often found in school systems and usually manifests itself when kids pick on each other because of some out group phenomina.. but in this case the in group is the well established psc members and the out group are the new starters... advantage and non advantage. being another in group and out group...
2) If i vote for other people they will vote for me in return...
This is an ingroup stratergy... and only works on people who are like minded and other people who will only vote if they vote for me (Marcoballistic is the most likly candidate for this area or 5)
3) i will only vote for people who will vote for me..
These people want to be accepted as apart of an ingroup and will only vote back for people who vote for them.
4) No vote because i dont have the time cant be bothered and so on...
excusers dont vote but they want votes all the same. its understandable though if they dont enter a competition then they dont vote... and exist mainly on the forums... therefore only people who highlight on the forums will ever be voted for by them... unless they enter a competition (eve)
5) for the sake of.. rare types who vote because they can... usually the new starts who get upthe ten will do this... (usually end up in the ingroup) (marco ballistic may fall into this area)
6) critical voters... always finding holes in your work because its not good enough. Out group stratergy which has benificial results to the artist but is disliked by the majority and end up usually as an out group. (arc)
7) friends or recommended votes. people who go with the flow and vote because other people have.
against the grain, wont vote for the popular work but wil vote for under voted work...
that pretty much explains the broard spectrum...
some people may fall into one or more than one there are several that i have missed out but on the whole people change oppinions daily and reasoning daily one day they could be reallly selfish and another really generous.
but i do know people only vote if they can see the work. which is why vote Whoreing is the best stratergy and how do i know this... Robocana
but anon contests...
well they are mainly different as you already know stratergy goes out the window... unless poeple are giving hints out
Many of us can relate to tragedy and "messy" lives... I am very sorry for the sudden and untimely death of your brother! 
Please remember we are here for you, Sliver. 
