I think the difference is "content" vs. "communication". Insta and FB have become Personal PR outlets where you make content for social validation. On HN, you

I think the difference is "content" vs. "communication". Insta and FB have become Personal PR outlets where you make content for social validation. On HN, you communicate, and karma can be a proxy for social validation, but it's to help you calibrate for communicating on the platform. Karma serves the greater community by helping you understand what the community values, whereas likes serve to validate your own brand. I think the feedback loops are similar but subtly different.