Why is the /s necessary here as well?

One of my most hated things in the dying days of Reddit is people having to put the /s because of all the mass down voting from users that didn't get a post was a joke.

When I came here it seemed that wasn't the case but I've noticed over the last month a lot of users using it or having -28 points for an off the cuff comment.

I might be just be a bit too bothered by the need to use it.