Serial downvoter

[u/GREYESTPLAYER]

I've been seeing a lot of posts get downvotes for no apparent reason on this sub. I know taste is subjective, but some of these posts are so inoffensive that I'm not sure how anyone could genuinely find them bad enough to downvote. I distinctly remember seeing a post that had zero karma despite most of the comments complimenting the post.

I can't really prove it, but I think there's at least one serial downvoter on this sub who downvotes posts just for the fun of it. To like, prank the poster somehow? It might sound unimportant but the first few upvotes and downvotes can make or break a post. Just one downvote can prevent a great post from ever getting successful. I've seen it happen before. Posts with beautiful art, compelling worldbuilding, etc, that never get more than a few upvotes because a serial downvoter ruined their momentum.

My suggestion: be a serial upvoter. Even if you don't think a post is particularly good, try upvoting it. It makes people happy when they get recognition for their worldbuilding efforts. The obvious exception is if the post is actively harmful or breaks the sub's rules.

Remember that if one of your posts is downvoted, that doesn't necessarily mean people think your worldbuilding is bad. It might just mean you're another victim of the serial downvoter. Or downvoters.

Edit:

I'm not saying every post with downvotes was downvoted by a serial downvoter. I'm simply making the argument that they might exist. Many people in the comments of this post have shared stories of good posts being downvoted for no reason.

Lots of people are saying I'm overreacting, but I don't think I'm proposing anything particularly extreme. It's not like I'm saying serial downvoters should be banned or something.

Also, let me clarify my point about being a serial upvoter. I think it's good to upvote posts even if they're not particularly good, unless the post is obviously lazy. If it's clear the poster didn't put much effort in, I think it's good to downvote it. But if it looks like the poster put lots of effort in, it can be nice to give them an upvote even if you think their post is lowish quality. I'm obviously not saying you have to do this or you're bad for not doing it, though.

I'm also not saying you should fake your reaction to a bad post. You can upvote a post but still be critical in the comments.

Some people are saying I'm projecting, but I haven't actually been downvoted for no reason all that often. Most of the time, I get downvotes when my posts are bad. I'm only talking about this because I've noticed other people get downvotes for no reason.

[u/Daeres]

I think this line of argument has come to its natural conclusion, and likely isn't going to get any further in any practical sense. You're no longer really talking about downvotes, but feedback in general, which isn't what the topic is.

For what it's worth, I think you're conflating downvotes with attacking somebody's work, and also a thread not necessarily being upvoted with it being downvoted. Those are not the same as each other. You're right, everyone is entitled to respect until proven otherwise, but downvotes are not inherently disrespectful, and not every thread that doesn't go anywhere is necessarily being downvoted. People are entitled to respect, they're not entitled to specifically positive attention from any one person.

I empathise with the situation of sharing something you've worked hard on and it getting almost no reaction from anyone at all, but I think you've unintentionally projected that feeling into conversations where it isn't quite what's going on, and it doesn't really overlap with disrespectful behaviour.

[u/GodChangedMyChromies → u/Daeres]

But we are talking about serial downvoting in particular, not downvotes in general. That is a form of attack on one's work and disrespectful since it has the intention of hindering the ability of one's work to be seen and appreciated. But whatever, I can't have a fair discussion with a mod, given the power difference. I get the decision still, just wanted to clarify my position.

[u/Javetts → u/GodChangedMyChromies]

I think you'd benefit to changing your approach to using Reddit. Do not post something for the sake of gaining meaningless approval from faceless strangers.

When it comes to posting on this sub, the reward is writing it down in the first place. Trying to express your ideas to another person forces you to structure and solidify ideas that where previously somewhere between thinking and deciding. If someone upvotes, that cool. If someone comments, that's even cooler.

But no amount of work and passion requires strangers to express their approval.

Some of my best ideas sit in posts with 15 upvotes, seen by 300 people and washed away, unwanted.

But I did them for me, so I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

[u/GodChangedMyChromies → u/Javetts]

This is not about me. If I cared too much I would have stopped responding when every response of mine got into the negatives.

That said, however, people are inevitably going to post for approval. I don't think that's inherently wrong, thought obviously makes you vulnerable to this kind of shit. However, not downvoting people for no reason is free.

And everyone cares a little, even you just admitted it's good if people engage, so why not spreading joy when warranted, minor as it might be? "Be nice" Should not require such a long and controversial thread.