I think there are at least two categories. One is bad because its minimalist in some sense, like HN and Craigslist. The other is bad because it's optimized to p

I think there are at least two categories. One is bad because its minimalist in some sense, like HN and Craigslist. The other is bad because it's optimized to push you to do something, not for your enjoyment. Design choices that make you buy more or watch whatever are being pushed are not the same as those that maximize usability. It's not all evil, I think there needs to be some way to get people out of their rut and experience new things. But most successful site are in full exploitation mode and optimized to take your money or attention, not to allow you to use them more easily.