I hadn't thought like that about HN but you're right: up/down vote arrows are not visually prominent, public votes counts aren't visible. I think it also helps

I hadn't thought like that about HN but you're right: up/down vote arrows are not visually prominent, public votes counts aren't visible. I think it also helps that most people on HN are cynical enough about useless internet points that they don't chasing them all that much just to boost the number.