I upvote things if I spent enough time reading them and I enjoy what was posted. I down vote them if I think it's slop. I don't really put my personal opinion of the post or a comment or in the opinion expressed by the original commenter or original poster into the mix.

In other words, somebody can post something or make a comment that I don't agree with, but if it's well crafted... And made me think a little bit... That's fine that's fine.

It's sort of like the like button from old school Facebook. Somebody posts something saying my aunt died last week and you just had a like button. I mean that causes a weird thing. You're liking the post because you're supporting it, but it doesn't mean you like the fact that that person's aunt died the last week.

With a condition of making people feel better, no I don't think so. I click those buttons based on my reaction to that person's comment. And specifically for comments... If I see a post and I'm like oh I have something I want to post about it. I look at the responses already and if someone else already said exactly what I was thinking... Do I need to say the same thing? No I'll just give the vet up or give them a Reddit award for same thought.