>"Snark aside, why is this a recurring obsession of HN posters?" The topic is related to technology (and thus easier to justify as relevant to the forum) and h

>"Snark aside, why is this a recurring obsession of HN posters?" The topic is related to technology (and thus easier to justify as relevant to the forum) and has a low barrier of entry to discuss. A significant majority of people in Western countries use social media and it doesn't require technical knowledge, so it's easier to share opinions about it. Reading HN threads on social media is almost like consuming junk food: the arguments are predictable but comfortable and easy to digest. It's enjoyable in a perverse way, though not a real source of growth as the ideas aren't as hard to struggle with (versus threads on more technical topics).