This place seems dead. I was skimming some stuff to make a few posts, after posting a basic casual conversation, the negativity shut me down like usual. I am sitting here with 5 tabs and some interesting stuff, but I’m totally disinterested in trying or even spending any more time here this evening. What value does that add for anyone when this place is dying a slow death of disinterest and low engagement? I never add negativity. I only ignore and block. I never discourage because I know I would be shooting myself in the foot. Why is this not fundamentally standard logic for everyone. If you disagree about opinions, appreciate diversity and ignore or better yet discuss. Anonymous negativity to strangers is psychotic behavior that should never have existed in the first place. It is not normal. It is no different that walking up to a stranger in a supermarket and yelling at them for what they wear or how they talk. That is crazy stupid.
I would propose for you to disable down votes. I’m not sure it’s possible on a individual user level with she software you use but it’s possible on a server level, so worst case scenario find a server where down votes are disabled.
I only see them when they are negative. That is still not an explanation or justification for anonymous negativity to strangers. This should not exist. It is psychotic. Anyone has a right to be stupid or or disagree. They have a right to an anonymous user name. They do not have a right to totally anonymous negative interaction with strangers. That should have never been created.
Most people don’t actually use downvotes as a method of personal attack, but rather as a calibration. They see something they don’t want to see, they click the down arrow like someone turning down the volume on the TV.
You really shouldn’t take downvotes personally. They aren’t meant to be personal, and most people don’t use them that way.
This still does not address the fundamental existence of downvoting as a form of anonymous negativity to a stranger and what purpose it serves. This behavior is not acceptable under any circumstances in person. The existence itself is not justified at a foundational level. It is the anomaly that should be addressed. The normalization of this behavior is neurodivergent and should be corrected. Negative and opposing opinions are normal. Anonymous back stabbing has always been the refuge of criminals and cowards. Creating a path of least resistance to such a behavior is morally atrocious nonsense. The lack of philosophical awareness of this issue is reprehensible primitivism that should be an extreme embarrassment to any developer that implements the cultivation of sadism to shape a dystopian future where backstabbing and anonymous negativity towards strangers is normalized.
My unsolicited advice:
You cannot control the actions of others anymore than you can dictate their behavior. Work on your reactions. That is what you can control and improve - for you.
I don’t accept that psychotic behavior is something that should be ignored or defended. I have asked for anyone to make a valid simple explanation and all anyone has done is prove exactly what I am saying. No one so far has said any meaningful reason why this has a place or should exist.
You are declaring that downvoting is “psychotic behavior”? Am I understanding you correctly here?
So now you’re the arbiter of a communities existence?
Talk about psychosis, with a little narcissism on the side.
I am not going to entertain your attempt at rationalization.
I’ll just say this: When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
I got downvoted for a comment recently*. My instance has up/down on by default and to me that somewhat softened the blow… to see that it wasn’t all downvotes but roughly a 1:2 (up:down) ratio.
EDIT: Also, you could of course have total+upvotes (or upvote %) if you wish, though I guess that doesn’t work for posts which are mostly just the total (if set, upvote % only displays on hover)
*= in a very “why are you booing me? I’m right.” moment, my 2 explanation replies were not, yet did not seem to change future votes (though maybe that was not the reason in the first place)