[quickthrower2]

If you want karma, post great news stories. Comments don’t attract much karma usually.

[scarface74]

Looking through the number of points you've gotten from your submissions (not many, join the club) and your current amount of karma, most of your karma has come from your comments.

[quickthrower2]

Maybe but on a per effort basis, submissions come out on top.

[anthay]

Thank you. So for example, and I realise this isn't a great news story, this Ask HN post of mine is showing me it has 6 points (upvotes?), but my karma is still 51.

[mcv]

Did you share it elsewhere for people to upvote? Apparently you don't get karma for that. Only for organic upvotes.

The system is fairly resistant to gaming. The purpose is to post useful content.

[anthay]

All I did was submit this Ask HN here. I've not posted a link to it anywhere. As I write the post has 13 points and I have 51 points. Again. I'm sure my life would be much better if only I could escape from the clutches of 51. (I've been down to 49 and up to 52 since I posted.)

[mcv]

It's not actual real karma. It's just a number. Don't obsess about it; that's bad for your karma.