4 ms·

I think you gave up the rhetorical point of being able to cite the guidelines by making a comment saying that you flagged the story. I disagree with you because

by rms 17y ago

I think you gave up the rhetorical point of being able to cite the guidelines by making a comment saying that you flagged the story. I disagree with you because the guidelines themselves are intentionally fuzzy. There is no litmus test for what gratifies one's intellectual curiosity. The new trend here is not torture, but that several men are now known to have been tortured to death.

tptacek 17y ago
People were tortured to death in Abu Graihb. I think it's time to revisit the guideline about "not posting about inappropriate comments". I don't think it's time to revisit the guideline about not posting about politics and crime.
- rbanffy 17y ago
  That is your opinion and I will stand for your right to say it. I would be disappointed if the folks who inhabit this site didn't agree. As you pointed out, this is an important article. I would rather have it engage in discussing it here than on Slashdot or Reddit. One of the nicest things here on HN is that discussions are usually (one could say unusually) civil. I think "difficult" stories like this are important exercises for our community. There are not many opportunities to practice that online.
  - tptacek 17y ago
    This is an unenforceable standard: "off-topic: most articles about politics, crime, etc. unless they will promote civil discussions amongst reputable Hacker News users".
    - rbanffy 17y ago
      The original, ambiguous "most articles" is hard to enforce too. How do we define whether an article is one of the "most"?
    - rms 17y ago
      Personally I like a definition based on depth -- most politics is not allowed, but deep, more intellectually heavy material from sources like the New Yorker and Harpers is ok, as it's very distinct from the types of reporting seen on TV.
miles 17y ago
"The new trend here is not torture, but that several men are now known to have been tortured to death." Sadly, that is not a new trend: In U.S. Report, Brutal Details of 2 Afghan Inmates' Deaths http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse.html http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse...

by rms 17y ago

tptacek 17y ago

People were tortured to death in Abu Graihb. I think it's time to revisit the guideline about "not posting about inappropriate comments". I don't think it's time to revisit the guideline about not posting about politics and crime.

rbanffy 17y ago
That is your opinion and I will stand for your right to say it. I would be disappointed if the folks who inhabit this site didn't agree. As you pointed out, this is an important article. I would rather have it engage in discussing it here than on Slashdot or Reddit. One of the nicest things here on HN is that discussions are usually (one could say unusually) civil. I think "difficult" stories like this are important exercises for our community. There are not many opportunities to practice that online.
- tptacek 17y ago
  This is an unenforceable standard: "off-topic: most articles about politics, crime, etc. unless they will promote civil discussions amongst reputable Hacker News users".
  - rbanffy 17y ago
    The original, ambiguous "most articles" is hard to enforce too. How do we define whether an article is one of the "most"?
  - rms 17y ago
    Personally I like a definition based on depth -- most politics is not allowed, but deep, more intellectually heavy material from sources like the New Yorker and Harpers is ok, as it's very distinct from the types of reporting seen on TV.

miles 17y ago

"The new trend here is not torture, but that several men are now known to have been tortured to death." Sadly, that is not a new trend: In U.S. Report, Brutal Details of 2 Afghan Inmates' Deaths http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse.html http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse...