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> I don't want to be constantly worried about my own reputation.

That is why you must think carefully who you vouch for. Like in a house party. If you bring someone who does not act well, it reflects bad on you.

Ultimately, a shrinking contributor pool is the inevitable consequence of code generation being virtually free.

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But then I end up not vouching for anyone.

And that's fine. Not everyone has someone to vouch for.

What is the advantage of vouching - or can it only harm you?

How many people do you envision the average person vouching for? If it's less than 3, that's a problem.

The reason you vouch for someone is that you get the benefit of their contributions to the project and, assuming the person you are recommending is good, you get an improved reputation in the eyes of the person you vouchsafed them to.

Vouching for people is not a new concept, right? We do it all the time.

It usually ends with you getting banned or shadowbanned from vouching.

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