Shouldn't downvoting uninteresting posts be forbidden? [duplicate]

Question

In connection with the question: Is it OK to downvote a question for being uninteresting? So if you want to mark this post as duplicate, analyze my question and the link I have given first before flagging this post.

_{Let me make it clear that I din't stated the quotations below. They came from the link I have given above. The reason why I included them is because they caught my attention, and it seems like it is not just me who thinks this site practices unfair voting.}

I have read in this question that you can downvote a post that if you think it is uninteresting. In proportion to Help Centre:

Voting up a question or answer signals to the rest of the community that a post is interesting, well-researched, and useful, while voting down a post signals the opposite: that the post contains wrong information, is poorly researched, or fails to communicate information.

However, this can cause several disadvantages. I will state three of my points.

Unrightful Way.

I'm not sure I agree that this is a necessarily implication. For example, if an employee does very well, I may give them a bonus. But the proper response to an employee performing poorly is generally not to deduct money from their salary.

This is actually right. I don't think it is necessary to downvote a question just because you think it is uninteresting. How about for the others? Of course, anyone who posted a question and when someone downvoted it for being an uninteresting question, the user will be displeased.

Anti-Social Behavior.

Well, I'm not one to go starting arguments on the Interwebs, but I think that downvoting a post because you don't find it interesting is a destructive, evil, morally reprehensible, anti-intellectual, self-centered, close-minded, anti-social behavior that should be disallowed.

I think the comment states it all.

Unfair Voting

I have trouble with the fact that you admit you "wouldn't have time" to downvote all the questions that apparently bore you but "sometimes" you go ahead and make such downvotes. If you can't apply something consistently, it might be better not to do it all. Beyond this, I struggle to see the value of downvoting in anything other than especially egregious cases. More often than not, refraining from upvoting sends the same message as downvoting but without the negativity and trauma.

It's actually politely RIGHT. If you want to downvote a question just because it's boring, shouldn't you downvote every question you find uninteresting?

NOTE: It isn't wrong to downvote. I just don't find it necessary to downvote a question for being uninteresting. Every user here cares for his/her reputation. I think downvoting should only be for those questions that are unrelated, broad, etc. But if someone posts a question and a user finds it uninteresting, it should just be left alone. Maybe for some it is uninteresting, but what if others might actually enjoy it? Especially for the newbies. Please take note that this is not a rant. I'm just stating how unlawful this kind of rule is.

Answer 1

There are two underlying premises about voting on SE that you need to keep in mind:

The first is that in a crowd-based system (like voting on SE), it's the aggregate and relative results that are useful, not individual votes.

If a "lot" of people vote on a "lot" of posts (questions and answers) then - in general - "good" posts will end up with higher votes than "bad" posts.

The second is that votes on a question or answer are not primarily intended to give feedback to the person who made the post. Votes are meant to tell other people what the community thinks about a question or answer.

So, looking at your 3 points:

anyone who posted a question and when someone downvoted it for being an uninteresting question, the user will be displeased.

That may be true, but votes aren't primarily for the person who posted.

... I think that downvoting a post because you don't find it interesting is a destructive, evil, morally reprehensible, anti-intellectual, self-centered, close-minded, anti-social behavior that should be disallowed.

Agreeing with this comment actually makes your post a rant, because it's waaaaaay over the top.... In what way is it destructive to downvote? (for whatever reason) Or morally reprehensible?

If you want to downvote a question just because it's boring, shouldn't you downvote every question you find uninteresting?

I find this viewpoint just as over-the-top as the one about it being evil to downvote... Think it through: If you really think everyone should be required to vote consistently, then you're saying everyone who votes at all should have to read and vote on every single post.

Again, voting is meaningful when a lot of people do it, so if I don't read and/or don't vote on every post, it's not a problem because other people will get them.

Maybe for some it is uninteresting, but what if others might actually enjoy it? Especially for the newbies.

If others enjoy it, then they're free to vote it up. As long as enough people vote, the overall score will be a reflection of how much the community likes or doesn't like the question or answer.

Finally, you should keep in mind that you unless someone says in a comment "I downvoted this because I found it uninteresting," you have no way of knowing if that's the reason. I would think that in many cases, "uninteresting" is just another way of saying "unclear" or "not useful" or "not researched," all of which are explicitly listed as valid reasons to downvote.