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Why is this getting downvoted? It seems like a constructive comment, or am I missing something?

nkurz 6y ago
If I were to guess, it was downvoted by people who are offended by his closing statement "I feel your pain on the loss of Slate Star Codex". A sizable percentage of people agree with eschaton's post (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23719748 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23719748) and will downvote anything that suggests having SSC disappear is anything but a positive. I'm only guessing though, and would appreciate hearing the actual reasons from those who downvoted it.
- zaroth 6y ago
  That post you linked seems to me to be another example of othering an argument that goes against their beliefs. It’s this kind of suppression of free speech (by ostracizing and libeling the speakers) that’s causing so much damage to our national discourse.
  - eschaton 6y ago
    Pointing out that many SSC commenters believe in “human biodiversity” should not be controversial; neither should pointing out that this concept is just a thin coat of paint atop “scientific racism.” What should be controversial is people mourning that community as some sort of valuable place for discussion.
    - nkurz 6y ago
      I disagree with your characterization, but I guess the real question is whether the beliefs of some members should negate the other positive values of the community. The value I found there was that there was genuine conversation between anarchist law professors and self-proclaimed social justice warriors, anti-abortion Catholics and trans activists, Trump supporters and Trump haters, global warming deniers and global warming scientists. I disagreed with the vast majority of what people said (on all sides of all issues!) but derived tremendous value from hearing what people believed in their own words. There are few places on the web where people who have serious disagreements about culture war topics can have can have productive discussion, and SSC was one of them -- thus I mourn its loss, and actively seek a replacement.

If I were to guess, it was downvoted by people who are offended by his closing statement "I feel your pain on the loss of Slate Star Codex". A sizable percentage of people agree with eschaton's post (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23719748 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23719748) and will downvote anything that suggests having SSC disappear is anything but a positive. I'm only guessing though, and would appreciate hearing the actual reasons from those who downvoted it.

zaroth 6y ago
That post you linked seems to me to be another example of othering an argument that goes against their beliefs. It’s this kind of suppression of free speech (by ostracizing and libeling the speakers) that’s causing so much damage to our national discourse.
- eschaton 6y ago
  Pointing out that many SSC commenters believe in “human biodiversity” should not be controversial; neither should pointing out that this concept is just a thin coat of paint atop “scientific racism.” What should be controversial is people mourning that community as some sort of valuable place for discussion.
  - nkurz 6y ago
    I disagree with your characterization, but I guess the real question is whether the beliefs of some members should negate the other positive values of the community. The value I found there was that there was genuine conversation between anarchist law professors and self-proclaimed social justice warriors, anti-abortion Catholics and trans activists, Trump supporters and Trump haters, global warming deniers and global warming scientists. I disagreed with the vast majority of what people said (on all sides of all issues!) but derived tremendous value from hearing what people believed in their own words. There are few places on the web where people who have serious disagreements about culture war topics can have can have productive discussion, and SSC was one of them -- thus I mourn its loss, and actively seek a replacement.