&gt;...this can often come off as passive-aggressive when it is used to present a view; that&#x27;s not really an improvement. If you are stating a view, just state it: to make it nonconfrontational, don&#x27;t be condescending to people who disagree, don&#x27;t predict that you will be downvoted into oblivion or otherwise persecuted for posting it, and generally extend the same charity to the community that you would like them to extend to your viewpoint.<p>Unfortunately this doesn&#x27;t work. You still tend to get downvoted into oblivion. The problem is that if you poke holes in a dubious argument, you&#x27;ll get downvoted simply because people disagree with you. There is no real way around this, and I&#x27;ve mostly given up on commenting except when I know I won&#x27;t be downvoted. I don&#x27;t really give a shit about karma, it&#x27;s more the idea of rudeness&#x2F;negativity behind people downvoting things that they disagree with -- even if you post a logical, well thought-out argument -- that I have a problem with.