Does [decline rewards] insulate the author from loss of reputation if flags are cast anyway?
No, but it is one less reason for flagging, making it less likely to happen at all.
BTW, there is no "loss" of reputation if the rewards are reduced but still net positive (this ignores some very unusual edge cases that are very unlikely to happen in practice). The author will still gain rep but gain less of it (as with rewards).
In any case, Max may be a great guy or a scoundrel, I honestly have no idea. There is nothing personal here. But nevertheless whine posts do not add value to Steem (which is what is supposed to justify rewards being paid out at all) and when I notice them I will flag them.
I do encourage Max (or anyone else) to make posts which do add value to Steem and be rewarded for them.
You know smooth, I want to believe you as I agree with how you justified your flag...
I didn't take it the wrong way, but reading this I was thinking... what about my last post... you didn't see value being delivered?
The response I had from the little time it was up says the community saw value there... but I get 0 from it and the post missed a lot of its audience for the malicious attack.
If you want to promote adding value and discourage whining, leave your BIG flag here by all means, but do upvote the post that delivered the value.
If on the other hand, you just want to cut the rewards off because you think I don't deserve, then say it so insteead of claiming it's just because I didnt add value.
I added value on my last post and what did I get? Nothing.
Cheers and nice to meet you.
No I didn't see it at all. I'm not reading posts all day every day, as much as I might like to sometimes. I have other obligations and time commitments. (As I commented elsewhere, I happened to notice this one because it was #1 on Trending, making it hard to miss. Perhaps you could say it was a victim of its own success with respect to my vote, but nevertheless it is still earning a significant amount.)
Likewise.
You didn't see it because of the flag, else it could be on Trending and this wouldn't have appeared which is the point.
See you around mate :)
I think you are further proving that you did not read the prior post which was maliciously flagged, because in that context this one looks less, or non-whiney at all. Obviously you don't have to do anything, but it appears you are detached from the bigger issues surrounding this latest conflict between 2 opposing viewpoints. It's really not about Max to most of the participants in the 2 posts. Coming in hard and heavy, and quite late, you may be inadvertently aiding a viewpoint that you might not agree with... Just Sayin'.
PS Edit: thx for clarifying my question. Could be something addressed in HF 20. It would also not prevent flags in other material posted by the one invoking "flag protection" if it is ever structured that way.
You are correct. I didn't read the post and I don't think it is relevant to whether this post adds value and deserves to be rewarded (in my opinion it does not). I don't feel that I am obligated to read every post or dig deeply into every personal or political conflict that takes place on the platform to exercise my voting rights. I happened to notice this post because it was at the very top (as in #1) of Trending which IMO is absurd for an 'I got flagged' whine post.
Well, hey, at least you DO care enough to clarify what the thought process was, makes more sense now. I'm just pretty certain that there is a bigger smack-down coming at the last minutes of voting... and that your flag will end up being less of what it was intended and more of a help to a group that many consider to be a drain on the system. I appreciate active participation and I Know that is what we have, now! I apologize for coming off with an attitude at first...
RESPECT