I remember when I started using Reddit, I've read the instructions (as one does, right? RIGHT?), one of which was that you're not supposed to downvote something you don't like, rather downvoting is for content that doesn't add anything to the conversation (I think that may have been a tooltip for the downvote arrow). So I wrote some unpopular opinions like for example I compared adblock to piracy with some arguments for why it's similar and… Got downvoted to hell! :D
This experience as well as a rather low discussion level on Reddit made me resign from using it. Hard to find a replacement, however; I like to use Stack Exchange, as a very dry form of communication that focuses on merit.