Improving Slashdot user comments

I see a lot of critique of how Slashdot does this, or Slashdot does that, but I think it's all a smokescreen for the obvious: the weak node in the Slashdot network is the users.

In particular, users (and those who mod them up) who make comments that are either (a) supposed to be funny or (b) supposed to appeal emotionally.

In today's meta-moderation, I saw several jokes that when taken in context, were not funny but got modded up for trying, I guess. That's junk content. If it's not laugh out loud funny, who cares? People read this site for information, not bad cheap humor.

Also, I saw one post where in response to someone asking for a use for old equipment, had suggested giving it to the poor. It got modded as Insightful. How about Retarded? Stating the obvious and impractical may make a room full of church ladies swoon, but it's neither helpful nor good to read.

For all the complaining that goes on, you'd think the users would look at their own behavior before blaming others. But that requires us to look more closely at some of the sacred cows listed above.