Drace is absolutely 100% correct. Mapping is a form of creative expression much the same as any other. Everyone has their own perception of 'quality'.
I look at ranking as a way to accept or endorse a map. I look at it as a way for the community to say "here are maps that we think are worth your time to play". The problem here is that what gets ranked ends up being maps that try to please as many people as possible without trying to do anything new or interesting. Sure, they're playable, and at least not awful, but it's like comparing pop music to jazz. Regardless of whether or not you understand what's happening musically in jazz, you can't deny that there's more creativity in jazz than pop music. Music has lots of 'rules' too, and what does jazz do? It ignores most of those rules. Sometimes it ends up sounding bad to a lot of people. I'm sure not everyone likes Naked City, but John Zorn, the saxaphonist and songwriter of this stuff is a well respected jazz artist anyway, and still gets to sell his music and tour. Denying ranking over arbitrary criteria is like deciding you're not going to sell somebody's music because you happen to not enjoy it. Tough shit, other people do, and that's what matters.
I look at ranking as a way to accept or endorse a map. I look at it as a way for the community to say "here are maps that we think are worth your time to play". The problem here is that what gets ranked ends up being maps that try to please as many people as possible without trying to do anything new or interesting. Sure, they're playable, and at least not awful, but it's like comparing pop music to jazz. Regardless of whether or not you understand what's happening musically in jazz, you can't deny that there's more creativity in jazz than pop music. Music has lots of 'rules' too, and what does jazz do? It ignores most of those rules. Sometimes it ends up sounding bad to a lot of people. I'm sure not everyone likes Naked City, but John Zorn, the saxaphonist and songwriter of this stuff is a well respected jazz artist anyway, and still gets to sell his music and tour. Denying ranking over arbitrary criteria is like deciding you're not going to sell somebody's music because you happen to not enjoy it. Tough shit, other people do, and that's what matters.