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> And no, I don't think HN is a cult or most startups are a cult. On the contrary in the case of HN it fits most criteria perfectly 1. Elevation of someone to

> And no, I don't think HN is a cult or most startups are a cult. On the contrary in the case of HN it fits most criteria perfectly 1. Elevation of someone to diety status (Graham, <startup founder of the week>) 2. Shunning outsiders (mocking redditors, another cult) 3. Enforced group think through shame rituals ("As a..." response posts, downvoting). 4. Belief that the HN system is superior to all other systems HN, like nearly ALL modern startups, would qualify as cults. Remove the downvoting enforced groupthink and maybe I'd be inclined to agree with you. Until then, I refuse to. Upvote/downvote culture enforces the exact behavior required to punish and shame people with differing opinions into conforming. It's a sinister assault on human psychology and all sites doing this (HN included) should feel deeply ashamed. For being an alleged "libertarian/liberal" oasis in the middle of a barren internet desert, this place is far more like Jonestown than, for example, the philosophy department of a top 10 university despite seemingly every poster here believing truly they have 9e40 IQ and are one self help book away from unlocking literal gigabrain magic.

halpmeh 4y ago
You're conflating the HN "hivemind" with the individual members. I doubt most HN users check all 4 boxes. E.g. I read Reddit and don't elevate startup founders to deity status. I'm also not ostracized for these views.
- blue039 4y ago
  Sure, and the downvotes of this criticism make it obvious the hivemind thinks it's free. A classic trope of cults. They are the free ones and everyone outside is not. Hilarious, really. It goes along with the almost metastatic, terminal, pseudo-intellectualism this site is known for.
  - halpmeh 4y ago
    Yes, some individuals out of the dozens who have read your comment chose to downvote. Just as other chose not to vote at all. Some may have even upvoted. Doesn’t that kind of prove HN is not a cult? The group is comprised of individual members all acting independently.
  - vagrantJin 4y ago
    Most people don't vote. But I agree that downvoting can be an emotionally charged action - completely devoid of reason. I tend enjoy downvotes that have no reason because they validate a touched nerve, but some will give a reason as to why they downvoted and open a dialogue. Thats a gold feature of HN I think.

halpmeh 4y ago

You're conflating the HN "hivemind" with the individual members. I doubt most HN users check all 4 boxes. E.g. I read Reddit and don't elevate startup founders to deity status. I'm also not ostracized for these views.

blue039 4y ago
Sure, and the downvotes of this criticism make it obvious the hivemind thinks it's free. A classic trope of cults. They are the free ones and everyone outside is not. Hilarious, really. It goes along with the almost metastatic, terminal, pseudo-intellectualism this site is known for.
- halpmeh 4y ago
  Yes, some individuals out of the dozens who have read your comment chose to downvote. Just as other chose not to vote at all. Some may have even upvoted. Doesn’t that kind of prove HN is not a cult? The group is comprised of individual members all acting independently.
- vagrantJin 4y ago
  Most people don't vote. But I agree that downvoting can be an emotionally charged action - completely devoid of reason. I tend enjoy downvotes that have no reason because they validate a touched nerve, but some will give a reason as to why they downvoted and open a dialogue. Thats a gold feature of HN I think.