> This is one of the things I hate most on SE, people who think downvoting is mean and we should not do it voting to cancel out downvotes, it wastes my vote, your vote, gives to OP rep for a bad post.

Just like silly downvotes exist, silly upvotes exist. I *never ever* heard of someone, voting to eliminate a downvote. I doubt it happens, and even then not more then occasionally.

I am having a bit of difficulty with your assumption that the vote was done out of pitty, and to eliminate "being mean". What makes you think this vote was motivated like that, and not a random vote, like we see a lot, both up and down?

Just like you, I feel:

> don't vote because you feel sorry for people, you should vote on the quality of the post and not the person.

...but I see no reason to assume that is happening a lot. Actually I see no proven case *at all*.