Downvoting - Meta Post

The rules of this sub ask that you do not use the downvote function. So far everyone has been very respectful regarding this rule. I have seen a few downvotes here from people who didn't like what I had to say elsewhere and stalked my history. This is one of the reasons I abhor downvoting. It allows stalkers and bullies a simple tool to aggressively attack people. But I hate it for other reasons.

The only reason the upvote/downvote system exists is to generate consensus, and that consensus informs our perspective on content before we even read it. A post that is quickly downvoted is likely to be ignored. And the sort of posts that are quickly downvoted are those that do not conform to dominant perspectives and narratives. As a result, the downvote is a powerful tool for silencing novel and outsider ideas. It contributes to dogmatic fundamentalism and places a lock on already-closed minds.

Disagreement should be handled with rational debate. The downvote is too low-effort. It empowers all of the most malignant personality types and gives them too much influence. I would far prefer just to be blocked by the type of people who use the downvote to influence the perceptions of others. Cease voluntary association, rather than punish. I highly recommend that you stop using the downvote all across Reddit. It is an extremely toxic function. Either use your words, move on, or block the person.

Finally, I would like to share a new technique I have been using to disrupt the downvote. At the end of a post or comment simply leave a message like this:

"Upvote if you like this. Downvote if you love this. Block me if you hate this."

I promise I will not use this sub for general rants about my issues with Reddit or the world at large, but because it is one of the three rules of this sub, I felt it was an appropriate addition to this space.