I, for one, don't like the idea of readers having the ability to narrow what they read here. Part of what I value about HN is that it forces me to see what the

I, for one, don't like the idea of readers having the ability to narrow what they read here. Part of what I value about HN is that it forces me to see what the community values. It's why I dislike Facebook's and Google's news feeds so much. I can control what I see there, either directly with settings or indirectly by liking topics. I would rather not be trapped in an echo chamber, even if it is one of my own making (especially if it is one of my own making). Note, "dead" comments are usually dead for reasons that have nothing to do with the same controversies. Turning off "dead" comments is, at least to me, a very different thing than turning off political submissions.