I can’t say I never downvote anyone but I get into these comment chains from time to time where really no matter what I post whoever I’m talking to downvotes every response but I generally shy away from downvoting even things I dislike. I don’t want to fall into an echo chamber where all I see are only the things I agree with.
Votes don’t matter. Upvotes can’t pay your rent or buy food. Downvotes won’t put you in prison.
Vote however you want, that’s why it’s here.
It does depend how we are defining what matters. By your definition very few things matter. As a location for discourse it matters in how people related to said discourse in that votes can help push or diminish narratives and craft a location that is or is not an echo chamber. We’re all aware what people see shapes their views and their views shape their actions and their actions shape the world. So I’m not sure I agree that the culture of a platform, the content that is pushed doesn’t matter.
It depends on how an individual consumes Lemmy. I don’t see votes and my client neither buries nor highlights comments based on votes. I only browse by new or active.
This means that votes have little to no impact to what I consume or interact with.
As I’ve said elsewhere. I don’t care if you downvote, I’ve seen what you upvote.