Sure, and for most people the right amount of short to be is just not long. My broader point is that HN is pretty selective on which “useless” or “evil” things

Sure, and for most people the right amount of short to be is just not long. My broader point is that HN is pretty selective on which “useless” or “evil” things it will utterly lose its shit over and it seems to be, roughly, things where other hackers make a pile except YC portfolio companies.