I've never downvoted you, but I've taken note of you as a vitriolic poster, particularly after you had inflammatory comments deleted from a recent Soylent thread.
No downvoting should be automated, but it's possible you're being downvoted due to the content of your posts. gus_massa's hypothesis sounds reasonable.
I won't disagree that my piece on Soylent was inflammatory but it was because in my humble opinion, it's shitjuice. It could've been put in a better way.
I also won't apologize for criticizing the defense industry and any individual/startup involved/acquired by it.
After all, I turned down money from a VC who I found out sold his company to the defense industry and had multiple off-shore shell accounts that I tracked using https://panamapapers.icij.org/
All that aside, I don't believe it's fair to have ANY and ALL of my comments downvoted because some people disagree with my views.
I have nothing but respect for HN folks. So many smart people, so much talent and potential, I only seek to learn from everyone else who is clearly smarter and successful than me.
I will dial it back but this downvote manipulation is very real and I'm seeing high karma accounts abusing their power very openly with little to no repercussion.
I feel like HN is approaching Stackoverflow levels, where contribution is discouraged unless high karma accounts approve.
No downvoting should be automated, but it's possible you're being downvoted due to the content of your posts. gus_massa's hypothesis sounds reasonable.