Yes, the popularity of useless, emotive comments here really bugs me. There is an inverse correlation between the points I get for a comment and the amount of

Yes, the popularity of useless, emotive comments here really bugs me. There is an inverse correlation between the points I get for a comment and the amount of time and expertise I put into it. In the scientific case, though, "popularity" would be measured by the extent of citation. (Really, it already is.) That is a considerably higher bar than "I think I'll click on that arrow." For a paper to be cited, it has to make enough of an impact that people remember it and its ideas shape their thinking.