I can't downvote yet (and will probably start over when I can[0]) but when I have in the past I reserved downvotes for comments made in bad faith (straw/steelmanning, etc).
I will admit I would sometimes feel compelled to downvote minority opinions instead of refuting them. On some subjects (eg abortion), I have seen the same opinions and arguments made for decades. I'm tired of seeing the same poorly thought out arguments again and again and again and again.
However I try to hold back and just ignore those comments these days. (Not always successfully..)
0: I use HN exclusively on mobile and the downvote button is too easy to press accidentally, so the privilege is actually a curse.
I will admit I would sometimes feel compelled to downvote minority opinions instead of refuting them. On some subjects (eg abortion), I have seen the same opinions and arguments made for decades. I'm tired of seeing the same poorly thought out arguments again and again and again and again.
However I try to hold back and just ignore those comments these days. (Not always successfully..)
0: I use HN exclusively on mobile and the downvote button is too easy to press accidentally, so the privilege is actually a curse.