BTW, it might be worth separating out the case where controversial topics are being discussed vs boring everyday stuff. If you say something on a controversial topic, you are likely to get downvotes regardless of your position. “strong, consistent, vocal support” for a position which is controversial in society at large typically only happens if the forum has become an echo chamber, in my observation.
On a society-wide scale, “boring everyday stuff” is uncontroversial by definition. Conversely, articles that have a high total number of votes, but a close-to-even upvote:downvote ratio, are by definition controversial to at least several people. If wrong-headed views of boring everyday stuff aren’t heavily downvoted, and are “controversial” to the point half or more of the readers supported someone spreading supposedly universally recognizable nonsense, that’s a serious problem.
Also, regarding the EA Forum and LW, at least, “controversial topics” vs. “boring everyday stuff” is a false dichotomy. These fora are fora for all kinds of “weird” stuff, by societal standards. Some of popular positions on the EA Forum and LW are also controversial, but that’s normal for EA and LW. What going by societal standards doesn’t reflect is why different positions are or aren’t controversial on the EA Forum or LW, and why. There are heated disagreements in EA, or on LW, for when most people outside those fora don’t care about any side of those debates. For the examples I have in mind, some of the articles were on topics that were controversial in society at large, and then some that were only controversial disagreements in a more limited sense on the EA Forum or LW.
On a society-wide scale, “boring everyday stuff” is uncontroversial by definition. Conversely, articles that have a high total number of votes, but a close-to-even upvote:downvote ratio, are by definition controversial to at least several people. If wrong-headed views of boring everyday stuff aren’t heavily downvoted, and are “controversial” to the point half or more of the readers supported someone spreading supposedly universally recognizable nonsense, that’s a serious problem.
Also, regarding the EA Forum and LW, at least, “controversial topics” vs. “boring everyday stuff” is a false dichotomy. These fora are fora for all kinds of “weird” stuff, by societal standards. Some of popular positions on the EA Forum and LW are also controversial, but that’s normal for EA and LW. What going by societal standards doesn’t reflect is why different positions are or aren’t controversial on the EA Forum or LW, and why. There are heated disagreements in EA, or on LW, for when most people outside those fora don’t care about any side of those debates. For the examples I have in mind, some of the articles were on topics that were controversial in society at large, and then some that were only controversial disagreements in a more limited sense on the EA Forum or LW.