this post was submitted on 12 Jan 2025
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Explain Like I'm Five

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The case for down voting/anonymous social negativity to strangers (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 days ago by j4k3@lemmy.world to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
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This place seems dead. I was skimming some stuff to make a few posts, after posting a basic casual conversation, the negativity shut me down like usual. I am sitting here with 5 tabs and some interesting stuff, but I'm totally disinterested in trying or even spending any more time here this evening. What value does that add for anyone when this place is dying a slow death of disinterest and low engagement? I never add negativity. I only ignore and block. I never discourage because I know I would be shooting myself in the foot. Why is this not fundamentally standard logic for everyone. If you disagree about opinions, appreciate diversity and ignore or better yet discuss. Anonymous negativity to strangers is psychotic behavior that should never have existed in the first place. It is not normal. It is no different that walking up to a stranger in a supermarket and yelling at them for what they wear or how they talk. That is crazy stupid.

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[โ€“] CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Most people don't actually use downvotes as a method of personal attack, but rather as a calibration. They see something they don't want to see, they click the down arrow like someone turning down the volume on the TV.

You really shouldn't take downvotes personally. They aren't meant to be personal, and most people don't use them that way.

[โ€“] j4k3@lemmy.world -3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This still does not address the fundamental existence of downvoting as a form of anonymous negativity to a stranger and what purpose it serves. This behavior is not acceptable under any circumstances in person. The existence itself is not justified at a foundational level. It is the anomaly that should be addressed. The normalization of this behavior is neurodivergent and should be corrected. Negative and opposing opinions are normal. Anonymous back stabbing has always been the refuge of criminals and cowards. Creating a path of least resistance to such a behavior is morally atrocious nonsense. The lack of philosophical awareness of this issue is reprehensible primitivism that should be an extreme embarrassment to any developer that implements the cultivation of sadism to shape a dystopian future where backstabbing and anonymous negativity towards strangers is normalized.