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I actually don't like the upvote / downvote system. It can manipulate users into posting comments that are generally thought to be more accepted for fear of getting downvoted otherwise.
I'm fine with it working under the hood and ranking comments based on the numbers, but the fact that everyone can see it all makes it more like an echo chamber.
Personally I only upvote comments that I really, really enjoy or replies that are on topic and constructive. Downvotes are for comments that are confidently incorrect, rude or nonsensical.
Anything in between I just don't vote on it. At least theres no "karma" that's linked with your profile on here. That would make it a game of chasing numbers like other sites.
Agreed, happy cake day
Why fear downvotes? There's no reputation system like karma in reddit here.
I have some sort of social anxiety, this makes me feel a bit nervous when posting comments.
It still affects people even without karma
Maybe fear was too big of a word, but people generally try to avoid being rejected by their peers. It might not mean anything online in the grand scheme of things, but social media has tapped into our psyche to keep us coming back for more positive interactions.