I find it hard not to take a downvote personally. In the strictest measure of the term, some is "judging" me and telling me that no only do they disagree with my post (which could easily be done by leaving a comment), but they are taking the extra step to "punish" me.

I have also been the victim of malicious down-voting. There was some poor chap who took offense that I had made derogatory statements toward Bitconnect, and proceeded to downvote all of my posts for an entire week. Fortunately he was less than a minnow so it had no effect, but had he been a dolphin or a whale, he could have made my life on Steem pure misery.

To say someone should not take it personally is easier said than done.