"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is
than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
-Carl Sagan

Karma is a way for EVFT members to police their own community. It allows users to give a "thumbs up" (good) or "thumbs down" (bad) review to fellow members on a per-post basis. All users start with a Karma of (0) or "Neutral" Karma.

Karma has several effects on the forums:

Social:

The most immediate effect of Karma is a social one. A user with a high Karma will be looked on as one who has positively influenced the community, as others have given them several favourable reviews. A user with low Karma will be seen as a nuisance, as someone who has negatively impacted the group, or they may be simply ignored.

Ranks:

Karma also plays a partial part in determining ranks. A user with high Karma will advance ranks faster while a user with low Karma will advance more slowly. A user with terrible Karma will stop advancing at all.

How to use Karma:

Karma is awarded by other users on a "per-post" basis. This means that each post is viewed as a chance to increase or decrease a user's Karma. A good post, or a post that is well-made or well-thought out (or just entertaining) may deserve a "thumbs up" whereas a poorly-thought-out or irrelevant post may deserve a "thumbs down".

How NOT to use Karma:

Do not use Karma to pass judgement on a user. Whether or not the user is someone you like is not what the Karma system is for. Decide Karma on a "per-post" basis and isn't to be used for show how much you agree or disagree with a post. Even if you disagree with a user's post or argument, the post could be well-built and they may have put a lot of time into it.

Karma Abuses:

In the end, Karma is community-controlled, and therefore lightly regulated. If you have a bad Karma, do not complain to the Forum Staff, unless you feel that the Karma system has been compromised.