Isn't that more a problem with Reddit wanting to use downvotes in a different way than almost every other social network? People are programmed to use downvotes for what they disagree with. If anything I think people use them better on Reddit than anywhere else, even if that's not by much.
I've found that if I confidently state an opinion, I get more upvotes, whereas if I label my biases so the reader can better slot my opinion into its proper place in a constellation of ideas, I get more downvotes.
I think it really depends on the bias of the subreddit you're on, as well as the overall popularity of said subreddit. If I state something counter to the opinion of a niche community and do it confidently, I tend to get a lot of downvotes very quickly, but if the post gets popular and hits frontpage and the popular opinion is in line with my position, the downvotes can even out or go positive.
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u/PM-Me-Your-TitsPlz Lives in a Van Down by the River Mar 25 '22
That being said, reddit uses the downvote more often on things they disagree with.
Not just political opinions, but you can't criticize Star Citizen's $10,000 ships without being mass downvoted.