votes

I uploaded my video (lacerba.io) and it dropped from 14 votes to -21 votes in 10 seconds...

Some votes disappear after refresh, then again I can submit 2-3 votes if clicking quickly...

The problem is those first few votes are essentially random.

And yet their post is still getting voted into oblivion, even when nobody knows who votes for what.

As other commenters have pointed out the first few votes (in <30min) are the ones that matter most.

Most comments and up/down votes are about what people like/dislike not about what's either right, interesting or insightful.

There's currently a post that has '-19' votes (as of this writing) that appears at the bottom.

For instance, one of the highest votes for a recent anti-immigration referendum[1] was in Appenzell Innerrhoden.

The fact that this article got any votes at all is evidence of a stark drop in quality at HN.

Gets away with it because Congress has lots of votes/stock in defense and brass often get hired by them near retirement.

If you got no up-votes or replies the first time around, you can try resubmitting at a different time of day.

Sometimes I submit something I find especially profound and helpful, and no one else ever votes or comments.

Them not having that right has a lot to do with racist legislators in a previous era feeling like votes by "alien races" (e.g., Asians) would be detrimental.

It never does any good, and it makes boring reading." As for the the cause of the down-votes, it's most likely the snarky part, "Really, British Museum?!" It was unnecessary to make your case.

All of that said I would suggest against trying to get friends to vote on your posts as you could get (shadow) banned for running a "voting ring" even though 4-6 votes would allow your post to compete (It's hard to resist I know).

"stories" as in "a normal submission, with votes that can keep it on the front page and comments" vs the YC job ads that only have a link.