I mean, take a step back and look at what you’re talking about here: a minor subthread about an incorrect argument. When I see a “.” post, I usually think “okay

I mean, take a step back and look at what you’re talking about here: a minor subthread about an incorrect argument. When I see a “.” post, I usually think “okay, nothing to see here, I can skip this”. Which in all likelihood is the best for my and everyone else's time. And I grant the OP the freedom to make that call. In terms of UX, it probably would be better if HN allowed a commenter to “dead” their comment, including the attached subthread. People who cared could still view it with showdead, but everyone else would be saved time.