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Okay, but he gets a comment from you and avoids a faded out comment. If his comment was simply faded out, you would not have replied. Frankly, you need to recog

by abnry 5y ago

Okay, but he gets a comment from you and avoids a faded out comment. If his comment was simply faded out, you would not have replied. Frankly, you need to recognize that there is a mob mentality on this topic and that legitimate comments are getting downvoted.

dang 5y ago
The way to respond to a mob mentality is to respectfully supply correct information and patiently make correct arguments. That may not work, mobs being what they are, but the solution is not to lash out in frustration, call names and fulminate. That's worse in every respect: it inflames the mob, damages the commons, and gives readers even more reason to reject whatever truth you're advocating (https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=truth%20discredit%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sor...). Discrediting your minority view while at the same time damaging the community we all depend on is self-defeating behavior. The only reason we do it is because it's extremely frustrating to feel outnumbered by people who hold a wrong view (or one we feel is wrong). We all need to find ways to process that frustration in ourselves, before we can't stand it anymore and get propelled into the comments to seek relief. The relief of venting is short-lived and soon comes back worse, in the classic way that addicts need a higher dose the next time. I don't mean to pick on you or mumblemumble personally. We're all addicts in this sense, and it's in all our interests to find a better way. This experience of frustration is extremely common, as we all know—the internet being, to a first approximation, wrong about everything.
- abnry 5y ago
  Thanks for the reply. I respect what you are trying to do with shaping the conversation. Yes, you are right about the frustration and you are right about the addicting qualities. I did comment in frustration. I would say, however, it is additionally frustrating when the overall tone of the mob comes across as one of invective, and yet an invective comment that is mob-dissenting gets the comment from the moderator. It is not just about stating correct facts on this topic. There is a value judgment and moral judgment being made here. Goodness knows I don't feel comfortable commenting counter to the collective opinion here. Again, I agree I commented in frustration and likely unproductively and I appreciate the intent to moderate good discussion.

by abnry 5y ago

dang 5y ago

The way to respond to a mob mentality is to respectfully supply correct information and patiently make correct arguments. That may not work, mobs being what they are, but the solution is not to lash out in frustration, call names and fulminate. That's worse in every respect: it inflames the mob, damages the commons, and gives readers even more reason to reject whatever truth you're advocating (https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=truth%20discredit%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sor...). Discrediting your minority view while at the same time damaging the community we all depend on is self-defeating behavior. The only reason we do it is because it's extremely frustrating to feel outnumbered by people who hold a wrong view (or one we feel is wrong). We all need to find ways to process that frustration in ourselves, before we can't stand it anymore and get propelled into the comments to seek relief. The relief of venting is short-lived and soon comes back worse, in the classic way that addicts need a higher dose the next time. I don't mean to pick on you or mumblemumble personally. We're all addicts in this sense, and it's in all our interests to find a better way. This experience of frustration is extremely common, as we all know—the internet being, to a first approximation, wrong about everything.

abnry 5y ago
Thanks for the reply. I respect what you are trying to do with shaping the conversation. Yes, you are right about the frustration and you are right about the addicting qualities. I did comment in frustration. I would say, however, it is additionally frustrating when the overall tone of the mob comes across as one of invective, and yet an invective comment that is mob-dissenting gets the comment from the moderator. It is not just about stating correct facts on this topic. There is a value judgment and moral judgment being made here. Goodness knows I don't feel comfortable commenting counter to the collective opinion here. Again, I agree I commented in frustration and likely unproductively and I appreciate the intent to moderate good discussion.