It is the same here as everywhere else - if people even think you don't follow their reasoning, you get downvotes. This makes no sense and I think the feature should be removed. Especially as people can hide behind the anonymity of downvotes and don't need to think about it.

I am not sure people even try to understand what is written either, because downvotes happen (to everyone) even when they are saying the same thing from a different angle.

This is not how discourse or democracy work. If I can't have an opinion that's different from yours, then there is no point in talking at all. If you don't agree with me (or others) just don't upvote. Simple as that. By downvoting you are saying "your opinion isn't valued." Maybe that is what people want to say when they downvote. I don't know. Unless it is hate speech in any form or direct attack on someone, I don't see a reason to even think about using that feature.

If you happen to disagree, or you don't understand what is said, reply and explain or ask, please. I've seen people getting downvotes just for asking a question wrong or expressing some frustration.

My opinion is disregarded in the offline world often enough, I do not need people letting me think my opinion is worthless in places like this. It causes anxiety and confusion when I don't even understand why there would be downvotes to begin with. And I am certainly not the only one fearful of expressing opinions. Probably just the only one to say something openly, because that's me, expressing my opinions even when they aren't that popular. And I'm not pretending, like others might, that I am not affected by things.

So I won't be posting anymore unless it is in a book forum. And I know hardly anyone cares because you don't know me, or you will downvote this post because in your imagination this is somehow some sort of attention grabbing, or rage post or whatever. It is not. I'm frustrated, tired and disappointed, hurt and confused, as so often, and I think I have a reason to say so.

I hope eventually downvotes will be removed so everyone can talk without fear of being devalued.

What’s your niche interest? And what book would you recommend for people to learn more about it?

I’m sure most people have one, so I’m curious!

(For the sake of clarity, I mean a specific sub-genre of a more general subject. Instead of ‘geography’ (too general), maybe something like coastal erosion or tectonic plates.)

For example, my current niche interest is radium and the use of it as a ‘cure all’ in the early twentieth century. I’ve read Radium Girls by Kate Moore and its grimly fascinating: how much money was tied up in making people believe in the wonders of radium, how many people suffered and died as a consequence of that misinformation, and how radium made its way into the most everyday of items like toothpaste and energy drinks! If you have any recommendations for more books on radium, I’d love to see them.