Thanks for your comments. Yes, there has been sporadic and imbalanced application of 'personal rules' when it comes to downvoting. This was less of an issue on Steem as the tech was new and there was more of a variety of Whale accounts. Unfortunately, there is not enough understanding of public image management and the potential to gain more through treating people reasonably than can ever be 'gained' by being aggressive.
RE: Understanding Downvotes on Hive and How to Respond Constructively