Far too often, lately, I see lots of people worried about the number of downvotes, or making preliminary justifications and requests to not downvote particular posts.
Me? I don’t have to think about any of that. The content of the posts and comments determines their quality, not some artificial number that only represents whether people dis/like something.
Edit: Wow, a lot of people from other instances seem really offended that I don’t like downvoting and seem a bit confused that I’d be thanking my admins for something I appreciate.
If you like downvoting, you don’t have to move here. Enjoy your instance’s features. Welcome to the Fediverse.
Probably just my app, nor have I ever cared. Points are entirely imaginary, however I do like being able to ignore the obvious trolls, which downvoting helps with.
Yes you can make reports, you can block, you can do all sorts of things. However, isn’t it easier when crowd sourced? Hive minds absolutely are an issue, but they are just as much an issue with upvotes and downvotes. If I see someone is already actively critiquing and commenting on an asshole, why should I jump in? Rather id prefer to be able to add my-1 and move on with the day.
Easier? Maybe, but I find that option far more dangerous. Mobs are fucking stupid, and they can’t be reasoned with.
No thanks. I’ll trust my moderation to the admins, and if I don’t like it, I can pick a different instance or block people. That’s the beauty of the Fediverse.
And this is exactly my point; I wouldn’t. Adding a -1 isn’t a contribution, in my eyes. It’s an illusion of one. The person doing the critique is doing the actual work, and downvoting is just lazy commentary.
And thus, I’ve made a post directed at the admins of this instance encouraging and thanking them for their decision to keep downvoting turned off. If you aren’t a fan, you can actually find an instance that is more suited to the experience you want and still remain a part of Lemmy and the Fediverse.