I ran one too, I don't think it's so simple as that mechanism! Our forums had reputation counts and posts were the attribution point.

We had 'likes' but with actual accounting! For better or worse 'status' could be built with this. Likes, on the other hand, are fleeting

Both systems have perverse incentives, I think the audience - size/shape - matters, and how it all reflects/bounces.

Conspiracy moment: it's harder to fake 'grass roots' things with a smaller/tight knit community, we've been corralled. Once something is as big as Reddit, everything you're seeing is manufactured.

Personally, I think there's truth to the "Dead Internet theory;" less bot focus. Humans maintain responsibility with our choices.