Downvotes suck. I get it, they are made up internet points coming from strangers (or bots) that you know nothing about, and you shouldn’t let that get you down. Still, putting in a few minutes of effort to share your opinion and engage with the community just to see a downvote is disheartening.

Based on the patterns of downvotes I see on a post, it seems like there is usually one or two people downvoting everything they wouldn’t personally say themselves. Extrapolating from this, I presume there is a population of users that contribute more downvotes than anything.

Personally, I don’t think the platform should allow any user to spend more time tearing things down than building other things up. Only allowing downvotes after so many upvotes would help stop trolls and could help generate more engagement via upvotes.

Edit:

The upvote/downvote count would be a global count including posts and comments, not a post specific count. This solution does not prevent downvoting, it merely adds friction to those who predominantly leave negative feedback by ensuring their positive feedback elsewhere. Sure, some would go on to upvote unsavory things, but others would attempt to further engage with their interests, and some would simply lurk.

If any good faith user approached the limitation, they would likely be better served by curating their feed.

    • GBU_28@lemm.ee
      12·
      6 months ago

      Pretty sure I was making a wording related home but I forgot what I wrote

      Oh well

      Edit oh I remember, it was relating how mods demand “positive” behavior, to the misogynistic phrase “smile more” normally directed at a woman, from a power wielding man trying to elicit a response

      It’s funny that I got deleted while literally calling out bad behavior but hey, their house, their rules

      Edit edit a user has the up and downvote buttons. If a board doesn’t like that, they should change visibility. I believe beehaw does

      • spujb@lemmy.cafe
        2·
        6 months ago

        removal reason:

        Rule 2: Specifically, the comment is somewhat sexist/misogynistic with no indication it’s tongue-in-cheek.

        • GBU_28@lemm.ee
          12·
          6 months ago

          See my edit. I wasn’t proclaiming that statement myself I was calling out behavior that was like it

          Edit using that statement was an illustrative point, not a personally held position.

          • YIj54yALOJxEsY20eU@lemm.eeOP
            2·
            6 months ago

            Ensuring users can’t only leave negative feedback has nothing to do with sexual harassment. I can see the contrived connection you made after reading the explanation but it was not nearly strong enough to leave that comment without context. Even with context it’s merely an inappropriate connection.

            • GBU_28@lemm.ee
              11·
              6 months ago

              It’s creepy as fuck for mods to chase people around demanding a mood. Vote how you see fit

              That’s why I made a connection to otherwise creepy behavior

              Edit also meh, I had it in quotes, which in casual usage makes clear I’m referencing someone else. We don’t quote any normal sentences

              • YIj54yALOJxEsY20eU@lemm.eeOP
                21·
                6 months ago

                You think humans are counting the numbers on paper? You write code for that. And what I’m saying is that there is no value in votes from those that see fit to predominantly downvote. This isn’t a matter of freedom, the platform isn’t aspiring to be a government.

                • GBU_28@lemm.ee
                  22·
                  6 months ago

                  I agree that mods run the show, no question.

                  I’m just starting my opinion its creepy. I downvote posts on conservative subs because they are shit, and am happy with that functionally

          • spujb@lemmy.cafe
            21·
            6 months ago

            yeah that’s lowkey creepy and you didn’t express what you “meant” well at all. i see why they removed it.

            edit: sorry mods for feeding this user. this was shitty of me.

            • GBU_28@lemm.ee
              13·
              6 months ago

              My bad for them not using the critical thinking to get the context. Context takes time in text and they have lots of stuff to do.

              Edit it should be clear that a mod saying “upvote more (downvote less)” is the connection to “smile more”

              Should a person not be free to go to a conservative board, not break rules, and simply vote as you see fit? Lots of trash on those boards