> Second, here's someone who leaves a lazy, drive-by comment. It's two words long. It took them five seconds. It has no actual thought, and therefore it's not t

> Second, here's someone who leaves a lazy, drive-by comment. It's two words long. It took them five seconds. It has no actual thought, and therefore it's not the kind of comment we want on HN. Every time the subject of downvotes come up on HN, this is always the stance most people take, but in reality HN has grown to the point that people are downvoting with a hive-mind like reaction. Look at the sibling comment to mine by tuxie_. I see no reason why their post should be downvoted, yet it is. I personally think downvoting on HN has become large scale deterrence of any discourse that goes against the hive-mind or is provocative, because people drive by downvote, then someone sees that comment is downvoted and piles on because "Well if the community thinks they're wrong, then I do to."