Downvotes are neither bad nor a personal attack. [The top answer][1] to [*Could we please be a bit nicer to the n00bs?*][2] put it best:

> - The up/down vote system is not just about rep, it *is* the quality control mechanism for Stack Overflow.
>
> ... the up/down vote system is the core of how we get the "good stuff" up and the "bad stuff" down. It is not designed to be a personal attack against the users in question.

Users must have [125 rep to downvote][3], and the reputation privilege is described to be cast on questions and answers that "are least useful... egregiously sloppy, no-effort-expended post, or an answer that is clearly and perhaps dangerously incorrect," but, really, they're used for whatever we want. Other motivators are listed in [*Why do you cast downvotes on answers?*][4]

Whatever the reason, don't take it personally. Similar to your behaviour in a discussion, it makes no sense to get upset when someone disagrees with, finds a flaw in, or offers an alternative to your argument.<b>*</b> This is something we all learn growing up socially. Those that don't abide are communally pegged as immature idiots, even if they were right.

![xkcd: Duty Calls (http://xkcd.com/386/)][5]

Voting is anonymous, meant to encourage more votes, especially downvotes with it's emotional blast radius. [Shog9♦][6], in [an answer to *Feature request: @Downvoter sends a notification to all downvoters for your post*][7], defends downvote anonymity, why we should STFU about votes/rep, and how to better ask for suggestions:

> I've thought more about this, and frankly... I don't like the idea of
> leaving a comment for down-voters *at all*, with or without
> notification. Down-voting isn't supposed to open a dialog - new users
> are [encouraged to comment when
> down-voting](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/135/encouraging-people-to-explain-down-votes),
> but it's not mandatory - and if they don't feel the need, that's *just
> fine*. 
> 
> Furthermore, I've seen too many instances where a "Why the downvote?"
> comment poisons further discussion, turning comments into a debate
> over whether the vote was merited - this is noise, as comments are
> supposed to be relevant to the content of the post itself. In most
> cases - and especially when comments have already been posted prior to
> the request - [I flag or delete these downvoter-addressed
> comments](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/74559/is-it-now-discouraged-to-ask-for-reasons-for-downvotes-as-a-comment).
> 
> 
> It's easy to feel frustrated, when you put substantial effort into a
> post only to see it down-voted without explanation. But this is an
> attitude that must be *discouraged* rather than justified. Remember:
> voting is primarily a means of communicating with *other readers* and
> with the system itself; comments should be reserved for providing
> auxiliary information, suggestions, and constructive criticism to the
> author. They're two separate mediums, and need to stay that way.
> 
> Now, if you notice your post being down-voted and honestly want advice
> on improving it - regardless of whether or not that advice comes from
> the same users who down-voted it - by all means, ask for suggestions!
> Just stay focused on the *content*, not the *voting* or other users:
> 
> ###Good
> > Can anyone suggest improvements or corrections to this?
> 
> ##Bad
> > @Downvoter, please leave a comment. Rawr!  
> 
> > Stupid anonymous down-voting cowards!
> 
> > Why the downvotes???

**TL;DR**
<BR>Downvoting is required to bury bad questions and answers and reveal good ones, but receiving a downvote doesn't necessarily mean anything. Other people vote for different reasons, and a few votes here and there don't matter, so don't sweat it.

<br><b>*</b><sup>*It makes sense when this discussion has real consequences, like getting or not getting the new Transformers toy with your Happy Meal, but that's besides the point.)*</sup>


  [1]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/a/9961/154425
  [2]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/q/9953/154425
  [3]: http://electronics.stackexchange.com/privileges/vote-down
  [4]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/q/2451/154425
  [5]: https://i.sstatic.net/BVgN3.png
  [6]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/users/811/shog9
  [7]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/a/37123/154425