Like most of the folks replying here, I rarely vote --, and when I do, it's because I belive the node diminishes the value of the Monastery. Un-called-for rudeness and painful lack of effort are my two main reasons.

Each monastery member has a number of votes proportional to that member's XP, and can only vote on a given node one time. Those two things limit the 'harm' any one member can do by voting in a way you (or I, for that matter) find distasteful.

The monastery is full of people, each governed by different (and changing) values.
That's good.
Otherwise, why let everyone vote? Why not just let the editors or the saints do it? (I don't want that.)

Spend your votes in a way that makes sense to you, and don't worry too much about how others spend theirs. You've risen to monkhood quickly; I don't think anyone's downvotes are holding you back.

I'm curious about why this is such a hot topic lately.