[Lordarminius]

I up-voted this topic because it resonates with me.

Being relatively new to HN I was rather taken aback by the misuse of the down-vote privilege by some people who capriciously wield it. I was even afraid to mention it in case I got down-voted again, since my one experience with the down-vote was when I requested for reasons why another contributors post had been down-voted!

People who wield this power are long-term users who should aspire to a higher standard. I welcome this push for accountability .

[brudgers]

Comments about downvotes are discouraged by the Hacker News guidelines. They are often downvoted by people who feel such comments add little to the discussion at hand. To me, it's rare for a comment about downvoting to add anything to a discussion.

Which is not to imply that I dislike being downvoted any less than anyone else.