5 ms·

The level of confrontation and its trend is what's new.

by ComodoHacker 9y ago

tptacek 9y ago
That begs the question, which is "why is the level of confrontation increasing now, as opposed to 4 years ago?"
- barrkel 9y ago
  Because Russia is a domestic political issue in the US - it's been anointed as the McGuffin in the battle between the two main parties over the presidency.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - banku_brougham 9y ago
    The 'anoint' 'McGuffin' combo metaphor doesn't work, and the clash undermines your point.
    - barrkel 9y ago
      Thanks for your literary criticism :) I rather do think that political inclinations are religions in the US, however, but the wars are largely phony and forced - hence McGuffin. I'm sorry it upset you.
- 21 9y ago
  Ukraine? Syria?
- QAPereo 9y ago
  It does not, begging the question means something else entirely... this raises the question.
  - grzm 9y ago
    There were three off-topic subthreads based on this just yesterday. Let's not replay them, shall we? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15231901 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15231901
    - QAPereo 9y ago
      No need for a discussion or link to one, thanks.
      - grzm 9y ago
        Okay. In that case I question what motivated your initial comment correcting your parent? I agree that it's not worth discussing further, so I'll sign off after this comment. People who take the time to correct others (particularly when it's off-topic) are generally motivated by the desire to genuinely help the discussion or by mean-spirited nitpicking. If the former, they're also interested in learning about how discussions tend to behave on the forum in which they're participating, which is why I chimed it. If I assumed the latter, I would refrain from commenting at all.
        QAPereo 9y ago
        Okay. In that case I question what motivated your initial comment correcting your parent? Correcting a commonly abused saying, and thereby slightly reducing the volume of bullshit if only imperceptibly. I have to wonder why you seem so interested in commenting mostly on the comments of others.
        grzm 9y ago
        Damn! (Just when I thought I was out….) Honest question deserves an honest answer. Very similar motivation. I'm very interested in figuring out how to promote productive, constructive discussions in general and online in particular. The deep polarization that seems to have increased and been exacerbated by the internet is an issue that I think desperately needs to be solved. HN is a community that values constructive conversation and at the same time struggles with it. If I can help make that better, I want to do so. I think a lot of people actually share that same goal, at least implicitly, and aren't always aware of the dynamics of online forums in general or on HN in particular.
- e40 9y ago
  Because of everything that has been in the news since before the election. Tensions are higher between the US and Russia, both sides having ejected diplomats. It's very different than it was 4 years ago.

The level of confrontation and its trend is what's new.

tptacek 9y ago

That begs the question, which is "why is the level of confrontation increasing now, as opposed to 4 years ago?"

barrkel 9y ago
Because Russia is a domestic political issue in the US - it's been anointed as the McGuffin in the battle between the two main parties over the presidency.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- banku_brougham 9y ago
  The 'anoint' 'McGuffin' combo metaphor doesn't work, and the clash undermines your point.
  - barrkel 9y ago
    Thanks for your literary criticism :) I rather do think that political inclinations are religions in the US, however, but the wars are largely phony and forced - hence McGuffin. I'm sorry it upset you.
21 9y ago
Ukraine? Syria?
QAPereo 9y ago
It does not, begging the question means something else entirely... this raises the question.
- grzm 9y ago
  There were three off-topic subthreads based on this just yesterday. Let's not replay them, shall we? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15231901 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15231901
  - QAPereo 9y ago
    No need for a discussion or link to one, thanks.
    - grzm 9y ago
      Okay. In that case I question what motivated your initial comment correcting your parent? I agree that it's not worth discussing further, so I'll sign off after this comment. People who take the time to correct others (particularly when it's off-topic) are generally motivated by the desire to genuinely help the discussion or by mean-spirited nitpicking. If the former, they're also interested in learning about how discussions tend to behave on the forum in which they're participating, which is why I chimed it. If I assumed the latter, I would refrain from commenting at all.
      - QAPereo 9y ago
        Okay. In that case I question what motivated your initial comment correcting your parent? Correcting a commonly abused saying, and thereby slightly reducing the volume of bullshit if only imperceptibly. I have to wonder why you seem so interested in commenting mostly on the comments of others.
        grzm 9y ago
        Damn! (Just when I thought I was out….) Honest question deserves an honest answer. Very similar motivation. I'm very interested in figuring out how to promote productive, constructive discussions in general and online in particular. The deep polarization that seems to have increased and been exacerbated by the internet is an issue that I think desperately needs to be solved. HN is a community that values constructive conversation and at the same time struggles with it. If I can help make that better, I want to do so. I think a lot of people actually share that same goal, at least implicitly, and aren't always aware of the dynamics of online forums in general or on HN in particular.
e40 9y ago
Because of everything that has been in the news since before the election. Tensions are higher between the US and Russia, both sides having ejected diplomats. It's very different than it was 4 years ago.