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I keep receiving downvotes for a, in my opinion, valid answer. The reason is because I'm using my ideas and reasoning of a film instead of using other sources. If this information was on a webpage will be ok, even being speculations.

I think this particular site is about (or should be accepted depending on the question) speculation and reasoning but correct me if I'm wrong.

The question is: Will it ever be the year 2000 in The Matrix?

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  • For the record I gave you a downvote but not for your reasoning (which is valid but does need some references to support it) but rather because IMO the answer is wrong: imdb.com/title/tt0133093/faq#.2.1.23 - "The One is basically a real world reset switch" - so with the appearance of The One, the Matrix is heading for a reset and that reset likely means that 2000 will never be reached.
    – user8719
    Jul 31, 2014 at 22:08
  • Thanks for the feedback @DarthSatan
    – SysDragon
    Jul 31, 2014 at 23:11

2 Answers 2

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This site is not about speculation and reasoning. It is about "expert answers".

Sometimes those expert answers can be based off of speculation and reasoning, though.

Generally, answers that cite source materials (quotations, author interviews, etc.) tend to do much better than answers that are pure speculation, but there are some questions that can't be answered without speculation and reasoning, and some of those receive answers that are very good, and are well-received.

I don't know much about The Matrix series, but I am guessing that your answer is being downvoted not because it is speculative, but because it is presented as fact. You phrase your answer very definitively ("Yes, time will pass and year 2000 will be reached.", and "They will deal with the y2k bug on the Matrix fake world.", for example), but don't back it up with anything beyond speculation.

Compare that to the other answer, which is also speculative, but is phrased in a way that clearly indicates that it is speculation and reasoning. It hasn't received any upvotes, but it also hasn't been downvoted.

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  • That's why I used the "In my opinion"
    – SysDragon
    Jul 31, 2014 at 15:27
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    @SysDragon You used "in my opinion" for one single point you made (what you think the only reason for resetting memories would be). You don't add any qualifier for any of the other claims you make as statements of fact. This is speculation on my part, though, as I didn't vote on your answer, and people vote the way they do for a wide variety of reasons.
    – Beofett
    Jul 31, 2014 at 15:29
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    looks like you have a point, I will rephrase my answer to correct at least that
    – SysDragon
    Jul 31, 2014 at 15:31
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As long as your answer falls within the guidelines of the site there's nothing to stop you posting an answer based on your own opinion or pure speculation.

By the same token, there's nothing to stop your fellow users from downvoting your answer because it's based on your own opinion or pure speculation.

Good, well-referenced answers with canon links, quotes or some additional evidence will usually score more highly. Let that be your guide to what people want to see.

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  • Odd that there's not really much difference in substance between this and my answer, yet you've gotten two downvotes (the upvote was mine). As much as i like to help people understand why they're getting downvotes, sometimes it truly seems random to me....
    – Beofett
    Jul 31, 2014 at 18:45
  • I would be surprised if both were, though!
    – Beofett
    Jul 31, 2014 at 18:54
  • @Beofett - 2 downvotes is nothing to write home about. If it was 10, I'd be slightly peeved.
    – Valorum
    Jul 31, 2014 at 18:55
  • @Beofett When this answer was posted I had less than 125 reputation, being unable to downvote
    – SysDragon
    Jul 31, 2014 at 23:13
  • @sysDragon I know you didn't cast the first down vote on this answer. Your profile showed that you hadn't cast any down votes on meta at the time. Regardless, it doesn't really matter, since votes on meta don't impact reputation. They just indicate disagreement (which is why I found it odd that 2 people disagreed with an answer that wasn't very different than mine).
    – Beofett
    Jul 31, 2014 at 23:40
  • @SysDragon - I stand corrected. Regardless, I don't think it was a bad answer per se, I just think it showed a lack of research.
    – Valorum
    Jul 31, 2014 at 23:55
  • @Beofett The (big) key difference between these two answers is that this starts with "go ahead and speculate" without much qualification, while yours says "back up your speculation with sources".
    – Izkata
    Aug 1, 2014 at 22:50
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    @Izkata - I don't see anything wrong with giving a speculative answer, as long as you don't mind it sleeping with the fishes.
    – Valorum
    Aug 1, 2014 at 22:56
  • @Richard Without some general idea of when speculation is okay (like "have a source to base it on"), it invites WildMassGuessing (TVTropes) based on nothing at all. These then aren't factual answers, they're personal opinion with nothing backing them up.
    – Izkata
    Aug 1, 2014 at 22:59
  • @Izkata - And they'll get downvoted accordingly.
    – Valorum
    Aug 1, 2014 at 23:41

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