To me the up or down vote is a tool to show support or disapproval for an argument. If for example I support an argument but do not have anything constructive to add then it makes more sense to vote up. The same applies to down voting, however what is more common in the case of down voting is that I've already said my piece for the debate but there is no reason to reiterate me views in a rebuttal. In addition I've always viewed the up/down vote option as being a way of supporting well thought out arguments, or showing displeasure with annoying one liners.

I'll be honest I down vote plenty of arguments that I find annoying, stupid, or both.

Now I'm not saying that people should just down vote any debate that they disagree with, I've been known to up vote arguments that were well thought out and written even if I didn't agree with the statement.

Yes, it certainly does. If some one is down voting my arguments i want to know why. if it is a flaw in my reasoning or inaccurate facts i want to know, so i can work to fix it or at least know for next time.

I get the feeling that a lot of down voting of anyone not exactly me in particular is not done because the argument is necessarily week but because the argument goes against someone's point of view.

I seriously think that if you are going to down vote you should at least have to add something. If you down vote because a flaw in the argument and state it in a rebuttal than you just helped the debate and possibly helped the person you are down voting learn, but if you down voted because you don't like the person's point of view, well hopefully your name being there will be some form of deterrent in the future.

It pisses me off to no extent! If you don't have a good rebuttle or anything to add on to the argument, don't vote it down or up! That just means that you are afraid because you can't think of anything to say against it, you just don't like the side they are supporting! And that is being a Pussy!

If it weren't for down votes, I wouldn't get any votes at all ;)

Well, I like to do everything that I can do. As a registered user of CD, I have the power to express my opinion through the down vote, whether or not I counter-argue. Also being an honest individual, I try not to abuse this power. Rather I use it only in situations where I feel it is appropriate. For e.g. in downgrading a rebuttal that doesn’t have me convinced.

As you can see from my efficiency score, my comments are downvoted almost more often than upvoted (if I’m correct), so what comes around goes around. Unless I’m party to house rules in any debate, I will continue to downvote at will and expect the same from anyone else. Hopefully enough people will read it and some may agree enough to upvote.

But what I would rather is that you do vote – up or down. This lets me know how people actually feel about what I’m saying.

There's only one point you should worry about; the one you're trying to make.

If anyone is upset at the down voters, just declare a fatwa against them.