Hi @amberyooper I understand completely. I think at this point in the game we minnows shouldn't worry too much about that. Did you know a vote still registers as a vote even if you have no visible sign that the total went up?
I vote as I see fit without worrying about it anymore. I think the whole issue is debatable but the real heated debate is certain factions making inane comments in someone's post and upvoting themselves and their friends...perhaps sock puppets... with high percentages while upvoting the work of the poster a very minimal amount.
I really don't know too much about the actual harm such activity does to the longevity of the platform. So I'm kinda on the fence with this one. Try not to think about it too much. The first rule of Steemit is...or should be...enjoy yourself.
I hope this helps, and I wish you great success here.
~peace out...in~