[19eightyfour]

It's a nice community-supporting sentiment but I think the idea that such a powerful tool as a down vote is only used for noble purposes, rather than to condemn and silence dissent or as an "easy out" substitute instead of a comment for something one disagrees with, is a fiction. Am I saying all downvotes are tools of censorship and punishment of diversity? No. But I feel down votes are powerful tools, and to me the idea that they are only used for good, while noble and community supporting, is naive.

So from the point of view that considers down votes something of a problem, what solution do I see? Nothing really conclusive. I think a step in the right direction is if downvotes only affected the comment they pertained to, and not overall reputation -- then I'd feel a lot more free.

[DanBC]

> as an "easy out" substitute instead of a comment for something one disagrees with,

That's a good thing. I don't want to read the same tiresome spats everyday. I would far rather some people just downvoted comments and moved on.

[19eightyfour]

Sure.....but then I think everyone ought to be able to down vote. Or only the mods. If it's a tool, it's either a tool for all, or a tool only wielded by the ones who define community standards, work to enforce them and act basically objectively in line with those principles anyway.

If it's not that objective tool, then it's a tool for everyone to wield subjectively. That's what I'd prefer.

I know others may feel differently. This is how I feel about it.