HN is certainly one of the last bastions of quality discussions online. On the other hand, having such a high density of people who are probably reasonably int

HN is certainly one of the last bastions of quality discussions online. On the other hand, having such a high density of people who are probably reasonably intelligent within their subject (which I will broadly define as [Software] Engineering) has shown me that there is a very clear tendency to overestimate ones intelligence when it comes to topics that are outside that realm of expertise. I frequently get the feeling that comments will take on positions that are arguably contraire in what seems to be an attempt to show how deeply one may have thought about a given topic and to have come to a conclusion the majority of people can't even fathom. It's difficult for me to pinpoint exactly. It is, however, a joy to see how respectful most discussions are, which I will also credit to the tight moderation on this site.