Hacker News should have a system where down-votes only count half as much as up-votes. The problem is, let's say you have an issue where the community is 60% 'opposed' and 40% 'for'. going against the grain means you will always have a net-negative vote count.
> The problem is, let's say you have an issue where the community is 60% 'opposed' and 40% 'for'. going against the grain means you will always have a net-negative vote count.<p>No, it doesn't. Numerous threads on hotly contested issues have substantive comments taking opposing sides and neither having net-negative scores.<p>They also tend to have unsubstantiated comments on opposing sides, both sides having negative scores. Popularity of the idea presented probably has some contribution to score, but it's not the dominant factor by a long shot.
I just think most of the community is well aware that downvotes are not for 'opposition', but rather for things that do not contribute to discussion.<p>Then again, I am totally speculating.
The fastest way to get down voted is to reply to any post which is even slightly political with anything other than a leftist bent. (^:<p>In my opinion, down voting should require responding. If something is worthy of a down vote then surely it worthy of rebuttal as well.