I don't see upvotes on StackExchange et al as being a value to the person getting upvoted, but rather as a signal to others that the person asking a question or

I don't see upvotes on StackExchange et al as being a value to the person getting upvoted, but rather as a signal to others that the person asking a question or offering an answer has provided something useful to the community. It's not a drawback-free signal—there's going to be a reinforcing effect of the "in" crowd on the community, but it's a valuable signal nevertheless.