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I read a similar debate a few years ago regarding subreddits. When "small", they are productive, helpful, encouraging and kind places on the internet. When they

I read a similar debate a few years ago regarding subreddits. When "small", they are productive, helpful, encouraging and kind places on the internet. When they grow to a certain size, goddamn chaos and trolls. One person put a theory, when the group is small enough that you recognize the same user names a few times a week, it's a good place. People "know" each other. They're unwilling to jump to conclusions quickly with someone they recognize, same with name call, troll, etc. Things you wouldn't do in real life. But once the community is a bunch of unrecognizable individuals, the flood gates of hell open up upon your little garden. And there was an HN post about sealioning. Where you pose inane, easy to google answers constantly to troll someone with an opinion you dont like. Then play the tragic innocent trying to have "a conversation". I've been subject to that without realizing it... a phone may or may not have hit a wall at high speeds due to my frustration with my fellow humans.

gregjor 6y ago
Questions like this seem analogous to "Why do I see so many bad drivers on the road?" I used to participate in several "digital nomad" forums. At first only people actively living that life participated. Then came the people who wanted advice getting started. And then the merely aspirational -- high-school students and people stuck in dead-end jobs dreaming about "becoming" digital nomads. And of course the trolls. No amount of work on FAQs or posting guidelines helped, eventually the forums got swamped with people who contributed nothing but noise and repetition. On Hacker News I see lots of post from people I put in the newb and aspirational category: people with little experience asking questions that have no clear answer ("What language should I use for my side project?"), or seeking general advice to specific questions ("Why can't I get an interview?"). I suppose those all represent steps along the learning process, though I might interpret some of them as laziness, or attention-seeking. I don't know what to do about it, though I do have control over how much of it I read and choose to respond to.

gregjor 6y ago

Questions like this seem analogous to "Why do I see so many bad drivers on the road?" I used to participate in several "digital nomad" forums. At first only people actively living that life participated. Then came the people who wanted advice getting started. And then the merely aspirational -- high-school students and people stuck in dead-end jobs dreaming about "becoming" digital nomads. And of course the trolls. No amount of work on FAQs or posting guidelines helped, eventually the forums got swamped with people who contributed nothing but noise and repetition. On Hacker News I see lots of post from people I put in the newb and aspirational category: people with little experience asking questions that have no clear answer ("What language should I use for my side project?"), or seeking general advice to specific questions ("Why can't I get an interview?"). I suppose those all represent steps along the learning process, though I might interpret some of them as laziness, or attention-seeking. I don't know what to do about it, though I do have control over how much of it I read and choose to respond to.