I don't think there is a substantial difference. I had an account (which I've since deleted) with thousands of karma points. I was becoming obsessed with the validation of getting upvotes. And I'm somebody who never cared about likes on Facebook. But validation from the smart people here? It was addictive and really tainted how I interacted with HN. I went into an emotional tailspin if I started getting downvotes.
I think caring about that kind of validation is a separate issue from the content itself, and requires self-discipline regardless. At least discussion on interesting and educational topics is better than sharing yet another batch of vacation photos.
