What if...

You could abstain from voting on a message to learn its reputation? This would be different than not voting. It would cost a vote and prevent you from voting on the message in the future.

Thus, it might be possible for newer members to learn which messages are interesting to the other members without down-voting or artifically inflating a node's reputation?

-- footpad
...But only if your batteries run out...

Update: *chagrin* I should have used Super Search, not Search, before posting...Well, at least I know it wasn't a completely bad idea. :-}