First let me start by saying that Everything2 is unique, in that it allows the users to shape and control its content.
How true! We are all free to vote for whatever reason we choose. Whether or not daylogs should or should not be downvoted, upvoted, used for vote dumping namespaced, go toward node count or be votable is using guilt to manipulate opinions. I don't think I can honestly read any node and consider the voting as a true measuring stick for its talent, value, or credibility.
Daylogs serve an important function in the E2 community. They are an important locale where others in the community can read and get to know about each other, a region to vent about what has happened in daily lives; a spot for others to gather, to know and enjoy reading about them and their lives. I don't know of another way I could find out about these people. These are historical records about ordinary days in ordinary lives.
As a new user they were practice for personal HTML skills because it felt safe there; that they would be left alone long enough to figure out, learn from and fix the mistakes. A good area to practice and express creative writing skills.
They're useful for watching out for new noders who may be having problems so help and suggestions can be offered by others. They are the place for GTKY nodes, since individual GTKY nodes and chatting in the cat box are routinely discouraged it seems reasonable to me to upvote and encourage new members to the community. I hope daylogs will always remain available and open to the free ebb and flow of votes and cools from the community.