5 ms·

Why has HN become so hostile to differing opinions?

10 points by baremetal 5y ago

it seems very hostile here nowadays. i took a hiatus for about 10 years and i come back to a hostile place? why?

tomohawk 5y ago
Ironic that this got flagged. There's now a larger contingent of people who think free speech is a bad thing (the equivalent of violence), and that you can somehow convince people to agree with you by not allowing them to have a voice.
aurizon 5y ago
Hard to say, show some stuff that got you downvoted? Usually HN wants comments that add to the idea being discussed. Flames or various ad hominem attacks are not well received. Were you attacked or your ideas unloved?
- baremetal 5y ago
  i generally add to the discourse. Anytime i voice an opinion that isnt left leaning i get downvoted big time.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - cassepipe 5y ago
    I see frequent complaining everywhere from right wingers that you can't say anything no more without ever saying what it is that it is that can't be expressed no more. Since I have seen right wing discourses and authoritarian m/order-first-and-above-all on the rise almost everywhere in the world, I wouldn't be too worried. Democratic and open societies are being pushed back constantly and checks to political powers removed. From my left leaning perspective, it seems to be part of a general strategy not to engage debate on some issues while still appearing as the ones who want debate. On HN, I have always seen ideas, even ones I am not really comfortable with being responded to and engaged.
- detaro 5y ago
  apparently they thought > sure, california is basically uninhabitable as it is, might as well leave the door open to make it official. didn't deserve to be downvoted.
- newbie789 5y ago
  The poster in this case is intentionally trying to astroturf the idea that they are somehow a victim of an imaginary social force by posting bullshit and then whining when people prefer not to read said bullshit. It’s a pathological impulse of a person that’s unwell.
version_five 5y ago
It's just a reflection of what's happened everywhere in the world. Lack of a common identity (and enemy) after the cold war + monetized outrage.
- baremetal 5y ago
  it seems people would rather be divided than united. they like to be outraged at X, i think its emotionally satisfying?
  - h2odragon 5y ago
    How dare you impugn my emotional wanking! I have nothing else to be emotional about! ... nope. Not that satisfying. I think it's a tribal thing; moderation just gets one pissed on from both sides.
h2odragon 5y ago
Its still open to discussions that can't really be held eslewhere anymore, so some of the flames have been bottled up longer and gotten hotter as a result. Also there's a lot more users now than there were 10 years ago; so despite the incredible community that it is, there's still been changes.
furgooswft13 5y ago
"sir you've been in a coma" meme, the Ask HN
newbie789 5y ago
Your “differing opinion” from the nuclear thread came across as “Fuck the residents of California.” If that wasn’t your intent, maybe the issue at hand is that you’re childishly inflammatory and a bad writer to boot. Maybe the problem is that you don’t speak in good faith and have a craving for approval from your fellow trolls?
ohiovr 5y ago
Life doesn't have to be a popularity contest.
gregjor 5y ago
I’ve been reading and commenting on HN for 14 years. The posts and comments don’t seem any more “hostile” than before, certainly no worse than every other online forum now that everyone and their mother is posting and commenting online all day long now. I notice more political opinions and dog-whistle posts than before, reflecting the overall climate in the US and many other countries. If you engage with lots of random strangers online you will get pushback and the occasional weird or hostile response.

10 points by baremetal 5y ago

it seems very hostile here nowadays. i took a hiatus for about 10 years and i come back to a hostile place? why?

Ironic that this got flagged. There's now a larger contingent of people who think free speech is a bad thing (the equivalent of violence), and that you can somehow convince people to agree with you by not allowing them to have a voice.

aurizon 5y ago

Hard to say, show some stuff that got you downvoted? Usually HN wants comments that add to the idea being discussed. Flames or various ad hominem attacks are not well received. Were you attacked or your ideas unloved?

baremetal 5y ago
i generally add to the discourse. Anytime i voice an opinion that isnt left leaning i get downvoted big time.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- cassepipe 5y ago
  I see frequent complaining everywhere from right wingers that you can't say anything no more without ever saying what it is that it is that can't be expressed no more. Since I have seen right wing discourses and authoritarian m/order-first-and-above-all on the rise almost everywhere in the world, I wouldn't be too worried. Democratic and open societies are being pushed back constantly and checks to political powers removed. From my left leaning perspective, it seems to be part of a general strategy not to engage debate on some issues while still appearing as the ones who want debate. On HN, I have always seen ideas, even ones I am not really comfortable with being responded to and engaged.
detaro 5y ago
apparently they thought > sure, california is basically uninhabitable as it is, might as well leave the door open to make it official. didn't deserve to be downvoted.
newbie789 5y ago
The poster in this case is intentionally trying to astroturf the idea that they are somehow a victim of an imaginary social force by posting bullshit and then whining when people prefer not to read said bullshit. It’s a pathological impulse of a person that’s unwell.

version_five 5y ago

It's just a reflection of what's happened everywhere in the world. Lack of a common identity (and enemy) after the cold war + monetized outrage.

baremetal 5y ago
it seems people would rather be divided than united. they like to be outraged at X, i think its emotionally satisfying?
- h2odragon 5y ago
  How dare you impugn my emotional wanking! I have nothing else to be emotional about! ... nope. Not that satisfying. I think it's a tribal thing; moderation just gets one pissed on from both sides.

h2odragon 5y ago

Its still open to discussions that can't really be held eslewhere anymore, so some of the flames have been bottled up longer and gotten hotter as a result. Also there's a lot more users now than there were 10 years ago; so despite the incredible community that it is, there's still been changes.

furgooswft13 5y ago

"sir you've been in a coma" meme, the Ask HN

newbie789 5y ago

Your “differing opinion” from the nuclear thread came across as “Fuck the residents of California.” If that wasn’t your intent, maybe the issue at hand is that you’re childishly inflammatory and a bad writer to boot. Maybe the problem is that you don’t speak in good faith and have a craving for approval from your fellow trolls?

ohiovr 5y ago

Life doesn't have to be a popularity contest.

gregjor 5y ago

I’ve been reading and commenting on HN for 14 years. The posts and comments don’t seem any more “hostile” than before, certainly no worse than every other online forum now that everyone and their mother is posting and commenting online all day long now. I notice more political opinions and dog-whistle posts than before, reflecting the overall climate in the US and many other countries. If you engage with lots of random strangers online you will get pushback and the occasional weird or hostile response.