this site would be better without upvotes/downvotes. here's why:

1. Echo chambers and Groupthink

2+2 = 5, 1984 etc, etc

2. Bandwagon Effect

self explanatory

3. Disincentive for participation:

users will fear giving any controversial feedback in fear of their reputation around the site, it will just create a disengagement and a narrowing of perspectives on the forum.

4. Manipulation and brigading:

Multiple accounts such as a certain nationality, can be easily used to coordinate or artificially boost or suppress certain post. much like the media of the world today, it reduces integrity and visibility of certain posts., and just creates an unnecessary factor; removing upvotes/downvotes is an easy way to remove the problem.

5. Emotional impact and toxicity (worst reason but I had to include) :

This doesn't really matter for some people, some may call you a snowflake for caring about stupid downvotes on a niche internet forum, and they're right. touch some grass. but its still something that can occur.

6. Oversimplification of complex topics:

upvotes/downvotes tend to reduce complex discussions to a binary choice of approval or disapproval, oversimplifying nuanced topics. (I'm right / you're wrong mentality, there's never a state where people agree to disagree.)

7. Unfair judgment of content:

Upvotes and downvotes are mostly subjective and are influenced by personal biases - popularity - the timing of a post. leads to valuable content being overlooked + unpopular but important viewpoints being buried.

8. deterioration of constructive discussions

allat

downvote this idot

but its funny when people get upvotes when they prove someone wrong tho :c

ratios are funny tho

I don't think people care about them like that.

dude really upvote himself to keep the number on 0 lmao

ain't

what is blud waffling about

leads to valuable content being overlooked + unpopular but important viewpoints being buried.

there is a 0.1% chance that any given thread here is "valuable"

Vlr users got into this guy's mind with their downvotes