For me, it’s equivalent to a statement that “I would like to see more of something like this”. That sometimes means upvoting things that I don’t agree with, yet very often I’ll pass over things that I do (such as “^This” - I agree, but don’t want to see more of it:-). Often I’ll upvote nearly every comment in a thread, to signal hopes for increased participation. To me it’s a signal for health and vibrancy of a community to see such.
But other people I guess use it as an “I agree” or “like” button? If that’s you, do you use it sparingly? What’s the rationale there - that when it is delivered, it means more? But with Lemmy so small, why not deliver it more often to help it grow? I mean you feel free to do you, I’m just curious. Maybe you feel it could encourage “karma farming”?
I’d even like to ask lurkers what they think, although I suppose that literally by definition I cannot:-). Then again, I recently became a lurker myself by watching the embedded Loops videos at https://tesseract.dubvee.org/c/[email protected], and I really miss being able to comment or vote on videos to help guide others to which ones I feel are most/least worthwhile to watch. It feels like a finger is missing - I reach out to do my normal activity and it’s gone.:-) So perhaps if someone was recently a lurker, what are your thoughts too?
Reddit’s century club taught me the concept of the “courtesy upvote.”
Someone replies to one of my posts? Upvote.
Someone replies to one of my comments? Upvote, even if I disagree with them.
Someone makes a post interesting enough for me to comment? Upvote.
Upvotes are basically the ultimate participation trophy.
Reply upvoted!
I like that.:-) It helps to affirm that there are many responses someone could deliver - ranging at the low end to reporting the content and/or blocking the account, to the more neutral simply scroll past ignoring it, up to the positives of offering a reply, even with a (respectfully delivered) disagreement. The latter is not “negative” if the goal is communication, community, and/or seeking out the truth.
Edit: although I’m trying on purpose to not respond to every comment offered in an Ask-* style community even when I am the OP, to allow for room for others to speak as well:-).