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Originally Posted by Andrew Gubb  Lol. Flushes out. That, or it causes sensitive people some slight unnecessary discomfort with no actual upside which couldn't be gotten from talking in a thread or via PM. |
"No actual upside" hinges entirely on the individual and whether or not they'll put the experience to good use. I'd say, based on times when I was oversensitive or I was dealing with/observing someone who was, usually the thing that sets them off is what they need the most, which is why I argue that neg rep can be quite valuable.
And to clarify the terminology-"flush them out." I say that because when someone is oversensitive it's not just a case of them blowing their own problems out of proportion, they want to make their problem your problem. There's a lack of personal responsibility and it's good to know that about a person, especially if it happens early on.
On the other hand, if the only way someone can communicate their displeasure is through a biting negative rep, then they've proven they're not worth talking to. From a certain perspective they've done the person they've neg repped a favor; that person knows not to waste their time with them. There's a lot of complex social dynamics at work, as well as many ways something as small as this can be used constructively. This is very much a case where, "it is what you make it."