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Here is what pg had said about downvoting over the years: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2435588

In short, downvoting to express disagreement has always been done and is reasonable. Also, "Resist complaining about being downmodded. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading."

It's just wrong for reasons that are covered in comments near the top. The public editor isn't part of Broder's management, and Musk is vastly exaggerating what she wrote about Broder anyhow.

Here's a friendly suggestion: if you notice downvotes on a comment during its edit window (the first two hours the comment is posted), just edit the comment, with a FRIENDLY question asking why people disagree with you. (It can be assumed that downvotes are prompted by disagreement, and as someone else has already reminded you, that has always been permitted by the culture here.) It's okay to fix a comment with an addition (I usually mark additions to my comments with the phrase "AFTER EDIT") to respond to how people react to your comment at first. We all have opinions here, and I can learn from anybody here, whether they agree with me or not.