All decent advice. Here's a thought experiment.
Start a discussion, debate, or ponder about [etc]
By the same token it would be bad to stop such a discussion, right? Right.
Make new communities if you don’t see one that fits
Therefore it would be bad to *destroy" such communities, right? Indeed.
Upvote the things you like
So, it would be bad to downvote the things you - personally, subjectively - don't like - right? It wouldn't? Why so?
Don't downvote other people's good-faith opinions. It's petty, it's juvenile, it's toxic. Even if you don't see it that way. It's precisely what will discourage the participation we all want to see.
So you're saying that (you think the data says) most people here are not blanket-downvoting anything that gives them marginally bad vibes, and that the damage is being done by a busy few? Interesting if true. I too basically never downvote, on the principle that it's toxic and hostile and just not something that has a polite equivalent in person. I had assumed I was a massive outlier.