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I downvoted it because it's anecdotal and furthermore not accurate based on my own anecdotal experience. i.e. I'm using my downvote for my anecdotal experience
by malandrew 6y ago
I downvoted it because it's anecdotal and furthermore not accurate based on my own anecdotal experience. i.e. I'm using my downvote for my anecdotal experience to cancel their anecdotal experience. Likewise I expect downvotes on this comment for being anecdotal as well (except in the circumstance that some of the additional commentary below garners upvotes)
I'm probably one of the people that would be categorized as a techno-libertarian (even though I don't live in SV), but I get downvotes all the time as well.
This community is a lot more diverse than just the techno-libertarian crowd. There's no lack of people in opposition to the techno-libertarianism as well downvoting the techno-libertarian comments and upvoting those in opposition to the techno-libertarian comments.
Basically I downvoted this comment for presenting the situation as one where only their views are getting downvoted excessively because they believe themselves to be in the minority when my experience clearly falsifies the assumption that it's only non-techno-libertarian comments being downvoted.
Furthermore, HNers tend to downvote comments that speculate on why things are being downvoted. The truth is that you have absolutely zero knowledge into why a comment was downvoted unless someone replies to say they downvoted and explains exactly why they did so like I just did. Anything other than that is pure baseless speculation and that doesn't get you very far in a community that prefers statements based on evidence.
Also, complaining about downvotes is known to get you downvoted because it's generally been observed to contribute negatively to the quality of discussion. You shouldn't complain about downvotes and instead you should add a comment where you argue your point better and try to gain karma with a new better comment than complaining about downvotes on a previous one that didn't succeed.