I would turn this around and flip the script. Hacker News is valuable to me because people don't pull punches out of the sense of social obligation to be polite

I would turn this around and flip the script. Hacker News is valuable to me because people don't pull punches out of the sense of social obligation to be polite. While people can be harsh here, generally there's almost zero tolerance for ad hominem attacks and the kinds of sophistry you see elsewhere on the net. Think of it like this. If I want a pat on the head and some affirmation, I'll talk to my mother. But if I want straight dope on what I'm doing right or wrong, this is a great resource.