It can be difficult to navigate the magnitude of answers available on certain types of posts. These posts usually span multiple pages and by definition hide a lot of information.
While reading all the answers is a great way to understand the issues, there are posts with 5+ pages of answers. The...
More that it's based on the flawed premise that there is a clear and limited number of sides to begin with, or that it makes sense to reduce these (or any) debates to such..
@ChrissaysReinstateMonica I fully agree that there isn't just 2 sides. In my post, I never stated a finite number. There doesn't have to be a new "category" for every potential side.
@ChrissaysReinstateMonica well, before we go too far. This isn't an issue for the majority of posts. This is only for more controversial posts that garner multiple pages of answers. That is a heavily restricted number of posts. This isn't something that would be applied to every post.
@ChristopherRucinski BTW how differs that for single paged vs. multiple paged answers actually? Actually you'll need to read all the answers to decide the standpoint of their OPs.
@ChrissaysReinstateMonica niche, yes. Less useful, not at all. These more controversial posts sometimes go to the heart of how the sites work. The users should be informed at least to other sides of the argument.
@πάνταῥεῖ For the Monica post, I just see answers that are singing to the choir. I have yet to see an answer that goes against that in some form or another. Do I really have to read 3 pages of answers (some posts have 5 pages) to find out that there are no alternative sides? Right now, yes I do. I want to easily identify where I could be wrong or not thinking right, and that comes from the other side.
@ChristopherRucinski "I want to easily identify where I could be wrong or not thinking right" You shouldn't make your decisions depending on opinions (trends) of others. Just judge yourself based on the question.
@πάνταῥεῖ Everyone has their own views on the topic. That isn't depending on others. I have done some research and have a general sense. Are you saying the answers are pointless? They provide no additional input that I can use to judge. Even you know that isn't true. What's the point of answers then??
There is a community-created summary post for the second issue (because it is an exceptional situation, and spawned many posts across the network). For other issues, why not do something like sort by votes and read in reverse? But please don't make the mods curate the categories, they get accused of bias enough as it is..
@EmC actually, I am changing my solution based on your comment (answer). There doesn't have to be new tools created. When these more controversial posts and multiple-page answers posts are identified, then these "summary posts" could be more streamlined. The Monica summary post had issues with duplication. This streamlining would technically remove those issues.
As Bryan explained: basically a two sided question has two answers - additional answers are usually expected to improve significantly on a previous similar answer - if there were only one answer additional people can not answer: "me too!!!!, me, me, me, look at me!". Vote those down or flag. In this case, as Lightness explained each wants their own voice, and not to be lumped together.
Christopher, that "summary" has 6 answers. There looked, at a glance, like it missed the "huge list" and other stuff - I say that because they don't appear in the right side column.
(1/2) The StackExchange network has already solved this problem at a larger scale -- on the level of questions. If I link to question A when writing in question B (in the question, answer, or comments), question B is visible in the "Linked Questions" section. Perhaps a similar UI would be useful for navigating within the answers to a specific question when there are many answers; titled "Linked Answers" and including the first few words of each linked answer. Admittedly, this would require people to link to other answers when writing answers; the first few words of an answer might suggest ...
(2/2) something different from the body of the answer; and it only solves the problem of navigation, not the difficulty of seeing the various sides of an issue. RE: people linking to other answers -- if the UI is available people will use it.
@SonictheAnonymousHedgehog I don't think so directly. That seems like they want to create their own answer that summarizes everything. I don't want to make an answer as I don't fully understand what's going on and all the different viewpoints, I want to create a new post that others can answer. Kind of like a Meta to that confusing or controversial Meta Question. Like such meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334399
