The result might be the opposite of what those well-intentioned people want. If the alternative view is obviously lame and impotent, it only reinforces the main

The result might be the opposite of what those well-intentioned people want. If the alternative view is obviously lame and impotent, it only reinforces the mainstream. This is a well-known trick in politics. When Michael Moore argued for gun control in Bowling for Columbine, he let the other side be represented--by Charlton Heston, a particularly dull and inarticulate man. You will probably agree that there are far more compelling objections to the ethos of Hacker News than this article.