How do you decide what answers to thumb-up (versus answers you like but don't judge either way)?

A FEW METHODS
1 ) DART BOARD
2 ) OUIJI BOARD
3 ) FLIP A COIN
4 ) MEDITATE LONG AND HARD
5 ) crystall ball
6 ) magic 8 ball
7 ) ask whoever is walking by their oppinion of the answer
8) SEE WHAT EVERY ONE ELSE RATES IT AND DO THE OPPOSITE !! LOL
JUST KIDDING I TAKE EVERY ANSWER AS AN OPPINION

I am actually supposed to use those thumb-up, thumb down buttons? Duh, I am lazy and just either read the post and make a positive comment or a snarky one.

If they make me involuntarily laugh, they get an immediate thumbs up. If they are thoughtfully worded and contain some good insight into what the questioner asked, they also get a thumbs up. If the question asked for an opinion, and trolls have been pillaging, I will give a thumbs up because how can opinion (if it's not just outright mean spirited or nasty) be rated down? This particular line of thinking is based more in ratings karma. Also, even if I may disagree with someone's opinion, and even if I thought they were being close-minded or bigoted, but were willing and able to justify their reason for stating what they did, then I will give them points for being true to themselves, even if it is somewhat unpopular. I do this one because it's much harder to be yourself in a controversy than on a sunny day. I think people should be rewarded for honesty, fortitude and being willing to discuss and reason, rather than just state their views as god-ordained and infallible.

Well I base mine on whetere or not the information provided is informative and answering the question in a informative way and not the way of being some ridicuolous irrational kind of answer just for fun. I think sometimes people have nothing better to sdo and sometimes answer things with no thought behind it just to get a reaction, or shall I say attention. So if its informative and helpful then to me its a thumbs up, otherwise if its jibberish and some off the wall answer I would rate it a thumbs down. Keep in mind some people like to down rate anyway just because its not what they want to hear or its not what they were thinking. There are alot of very informative people who are looking to help one another and that is what makes this website super. People helping people offering very good advice to many things and several different opinions.