Does "lurve" behave according to economic models?

I noticed that the “lurve” tap is barely trickling these days. Way fewer “Great Answer” s seem to be awarded. You’d think that with the greater population, there’d be an increase, since more eyes would, theoretically, see each comment.

But maybe this is a reflection of the overall tension on the site now, kind of a bear market for lurve, a crisis of confidence?

Is there a “macro-economics of lurve”?