if you have read the first few posting of this thread, you would have understood that sometimes people would agree, or disagree with you.
you may have mentioned somethings which people disagree to. however, they do not wish confront you. hence they zap you to show that they disagreed anonymously. [they may sometimes choose to leave a reason]
if you had mentioned somethings which people agree with, i am sure they will upz you
it may or may not always come with a valid reasoning... pure agreement or disagreement.
for example, i may say "hey the moon is so round tonight" and get zapped for it.
or, i may say "hey i prefer dvd to vcd" and also get zapped for it...
as long as people disagree, they come with their own school of thoughts, they may zap you...
there are times when you offer help or advice, and to acknowledge your effort, members thank you thru the upz
there are other times in the evenings when you share stories of your terrible day you just had and members upz you as a form of "console"
interestingly, there are posts which clearly reads "please zap me!!" but members still upz the thread-starter for fun... [i dont suggest you try this]
whatever the case, imho this system is aimmed at creating a positive atmosphere for members to "think before they talk"..... in this case, "think before they post harsh and uncalled for remarks"
i am in no way saying that you have posted harsh remarks. when i first join AF.com, i was zapped until the bubble turned red. my face was redder... i didnt understand the zapping system and i took it rather personally... i thought everybody disagreed with me... i felt oust... the feeling was really bad...
the mods and admins explained to me that this system is really not personal at all....
so whatever the case, do continue to enjoy your stay at AF.com. continue to contribute constructively. and most importantly, continue to learn the art of fish keeping!!
cheers