I mentally substituted HN for SO when reading these comments.
I see a similar pathology here, though far less extreme. I read HN both for the links and the commentary. Over the past couple of years I've noticed an increase in downvotes appearing to be used as "I disagree" which is a shame. I've disagreed with commentators whose comments have made me think, or even change my mind.
Downvotes also get used on trivial or off topic comments, which seems what they are intended for. And I hardly consider it any sort of cesspool of social pathology (as seemed be be described in the recent article about HN moderating). But downvote use does seem to be trending the wrong way IMO.
The result, of course, would be as described by the OP: self-deporting.
I see a similar pathology here, though far less extreme. I read HN both for the links and the commentary. Over the past couple of years I've noticed an increase in downvotes appearing to be used as "I disagree" which is a shame. I've disagreed with commentators whose comments have made me think, or even change my mind.
Downvotes also get used on trivial or off topic comments, which seems what they are intended for. And I hardly consider it any sort of cesspool of social pathology (as seemed be be described in the recent article about HN moderating). But downvote use does seem to be trending the wrong way IMO.
The result, of course, would be as described by the OP: self-deporting.