There's been many discussions on the purpose of downvotes and the consensus seems to be that it's inappropriate to downvote something far below zero when it isn't malicious or spammy because it decreases the possibility that less popular ideas will be seen and discussed.
It isn't nice, but it seems to be a reality and since there is no way of looking in to the heads of those that downvote you can't really know why they did so.
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They are also to express disagreement.
There's been many discussions on the purpose of downvotes and the consensus seems to be that it's inappropriate to downvote something far below zero when it isn't malicious or spammy because it decreases the possibility that less popular ideas will be seen and discussed.
Happens all the time.
It isn't nice, but it seems to be a reality and since there is no way of looking in to the heads of those that downvote you can't really know why they did so.