The + sign?

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I appreciate having the opportunity to upvote a reply. However I don't like that it results in them being repeated at the top of the page. I always scroll straight past the top replies when reading a discussion.

I don't understand social rules about when it is necessary to reply back if someone has taken the time to reply to me. Sometimes I just don't have the words to respond. Therefore it is useful to have the upvote to indicate that I've read and appreciate their reply.

I upvote other posts too for various reasons. It may be something I agree with, is particularly helpful or I find funny.

Yes, sorry, tried to imply this but wasn't clear. Usually I upvote comments I agree with/that express a point I agree with particularly well.

I'm not a fan of the "likes" system in this place, nor anywhere else for that matter.  It was a fundamental "enabler" to allow social media providers to become the multi-headed Hydras that we see they have become today.

"Like me, like me!". = unhealthy in my opinion.

I don't understand the social etiquette that may exist around "up" and "down" voting.  It feels weirdly wrong to me.  I do use them, but probably inappropriately - so I apologise here to any people I may have offended in the past...and may do in the future.

The + signs are 'likes'. Something that's become common throughout social media and millions of people have become obsessed with being liked.

Also, I think some people will upvote a comment to demonstrate that they have read it.

I think people treat them as like or agree too though. I actually dislike having partial comments at the top, especially as they are only the start of a comment, and out of order and context, so I just scroll past them. I'd switch that feature off if i could! Although I do sometimes press the up arrow if I like a comment, but I'd rather it was just a normal like or agree type thing!

It's to push the comment to the top of a thread :) They're labelled 'Top replies' and they appear in order of how many people upvoted them (clicked the + sign)