I think the issue is whether to use "relative status" or "absolute status".

For example using the karma example, it is not very important what the karma numbers are absolutely but what their relative value is. Thus a couple of friends voting each other up raise the average (+mode + whatever statistical marker one prefers). Thus while their absolute status rises the relative status of other people sinks.

I think we may have different notions of status with me thinking of "relative inside a given group".