> Meta comments that disparage the HN community are so weird. I think I can provide an explanation for their increasing popularity: people have figured out tha

> Meta comments that disparage the HN community are so weird. I think I can provide an explanation for their increasing popularity: people have figured out that it gives a cheap boost to the "legitimacy" of their comment without adding any actual substance, partially because it stirs a feeling of guilt and wanting to "be better" (either than the rest of HN, or as an individual). Needless to say, it's just another form of emotional manipulation that doesn't add anything to the discussion. The guidelines already discourage this kind of thing: "Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community."[1] [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html