How NOT to rate!. Review on Rating Reviews on MouthShut

I loved helping my wife. Whenever she did her housework, prepared my tea, packed our bags for a short trip, or just cleaned the house. I used to be always around! No! I didn't do the housework, I did not prepare tea, I never pack, I never cleaned the house.Confused? Let me explain.

I am a damn good critic. I am always around telling my wife how to do what she is doing. I genuinely believed that I am full of hidden talents. My father used to remark that it was God's gift to mankind that my talents were hidden.

But honestly, I always felt that I could do better than my wife. So there I used to hover around telling my wife how the tea was over boiled, how she can pack all our belongings in one suitcase, where the dust was remaining etc.

And then.my Rahul was born. Going by the tradition, I started dictating how my wife should take care of our toddler. After all, I was an expert in giving advices! And one fine day, my little son woke up when my wife had gone to the market.

When my wife came home, I was a comical figure, with baby powder all over my head, scratches on my face, spilt milk on my jeans, and Rahul was peacefully playing with my powdered hair, hell-bent on pulling them out!

They say that there is God in every child.mine may have the devil too.but that fateful day, my son taught me to keep my advices to myself. I started seeing my wife in a different light. The tea was perfect! The packing was perfect! The house was spick and span! And above all, only a mother can know how to love and handle her bundle of joy! Hidden talents can go have a ball!

My Mouthshut friends must be wondering what has happened to Maddy! Well nothing, really! My above experiences are just to tell some MS members that I can do without their hidden talents. And these are exactly that I find in abundance in the rating columns. Many folks who have never written a single review come over and rate your review SR or NR.

RATING

I believe that the one golden quality that a rating should portray is honesty. One should be very clear on what he is looking for in a review. A good read? Some valuable tips? Some information? Humour? Point of view? Length of the review?

I did be lying if I said that I look only for information and tips. Many a times I have HRed some reviews purely for the humour. I am sure many of us do that. Is it right? Maybe yes! Maybe not!

Sometimes I have given R for reviews which deserved an SR, just because the writer was new and needed a boost up. I am sure many of us do that too! Is it right? Maybe yes! Maybe not!

Sometimes I have given an R rating instead of an HR to good reviews just because it came from a writer who has written super-good reviews before that, and I expected much more from him/her. I am sure many of us do that too! Is it right? Maybe yes! Maybe not!

Considering all the above points, I felt it was mandatory for me to jot down how exactly I should rate reviews. Hence this write-up.

POINTS TO PONDER

First of all, I feel that it is of utmost importance to read a review by keeping in mind that you are not writing that review. The writer of the review is a separate individual, with his own experiences, his own knowledge, and most importantly, his own opinion. Respect it! It's wrong to think-* This writer is worthless, I better SR it! This is not the way I would have written it!* The fact is that you are indeed NOT writing it. It is the writer's view.

Secondly, you should have a proper system of analyzing a review. I have seen many people rating low as the review was under a wrong category. There may be umpteen reasons for it. The writer may be new, the writer may have misunderstood the meaning of the category name, as is seen in many reviews under General thoughts on Mouthshut. The writer may want to air his views on a topic that has no listing in the MS topics. For example, I may want to write a review on the different makes of synthesizers, my take on them, their history etc. But having already written a review under the Musical Instruments category may force me to put this review under something like How to make a music band.

Thirdly, I see many MS members giving low ratings to good reviews solely because they do not agree with the writer's opinion. It is normally in such cases that we see a highly electrifying comments section, with insults being hurled at each other! Can't we just agree that I may see a 9 and you may see a 6?

Lastly, one more thing I hate is revenge rating. You give me an SR.I give you an NR. Beat that! In fact, I have seen many a times that a rivalry in someone else's comments section starts a chain of revenge rating between two members.

I feel that rating should be unbiased, honest and broadminded. As far as possible, try to leave a comment on why you have rated what you have rated. Low ratings without an accompanying comment may leave a bitter taste. However, while commenting, be sure that you are not rude.

IN CONCLUSION

I believe that these are some points that need to be thought over by the MS members. While you think over it, I guess I will enjoy that cup of tea my wife has made for me. Such a nice flavour! You know, my wife is a perfect wife!