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It's funny how this positive article with a feel good story brings out the negativity at hnews. Sometimes, reading stuff here just makes me go WTF???

jval 13y ago
I think a lot of people are on autopilot and just vote up negative stuff. I think it has something to do with the fact that a lot of people here must be in a low mood because they're starting their own business and struggling, or hating their current job and wanting to do a startup.. I don't know. Just a hypothesis. Could also have something to do with the natural skepticism of a lot of smart people who are used to poking holes in theories/systems/stories. All this is just conjecture of course but we should do a survey of some kind.
- bnegreve 13y ago
  > [..] a lot of people here must be in a low mood because they're starting their own business and struggling, or hating their current job and wanting to do a startup.. You're the one being cynical... It's just a bias, people don't comment if the only thing they have to say is "oh that's great".
  - jval 13y ago
    I disagree... there are a lot of things you can say other than just 'oh that's great'. This comment thread is a perfect example of that. It is an article about people paying it forward in fast food lines (a lovely story about everyday kindness) and the top voted comment is about how much someone hates Chick-Fil-A. Not every interesting opinion has to be a negative one, and not every criticism needs to be posed in a really nasty way. Most members of the HN community have been pointing out how the quality of comments on HN has degenerated of late, I was just thinking out aloud rather than passing judgment on people who come and comment here.
mapcar 13y ago
I come to HN for a balanced perspective. If the article is positive, then I want to hear the other side of it. Like the comment about how it has the feeling of being cooperative but not really effective in redistributing resources. I don't know if it's cooperation or altruism, but I'm okay with comments that don't necessarily reaffirm the positive tone of the article.

jval 13y ago

I think a lot of people are on autopilot and just vote up negative stuff. I think it has something to do with the fact that a lot of people here must be in a low mood because they're starting their own business and struggling, or hating their current job and wanting to do a startup.. I don't know. Just a hypothesis. Could also have something to do with the natural skepticism of a lot of smart people who are used to poking holes in theories/systems/stories. All this is just conjecture of course but we should do a survey of some kind.

bnegreve 13y ago
> [..] a lot of people here must be in a low mood because they're starting their own business and struggling, or hating their current job and wanting to do a startup.. You're the one being cynical... It's just a bias, people don't comment if the only thing they have to say is "oh that's great".
- jval 13y ago
  I disagree... there are a lot of things you can say other than just 'oh that's great'. This comment thread is a perfect example of that. It is an article about people paying it forward in fast food lines (a lovely story about everyday kindness) and the top voted comment is about how much someone hates Chick-Fil-A. Not every interesting opinion has to be a negative one, and not every criticism needs to be posed in a really nasty way. Most members of the HN community have been pointing out how the quality of comments on HN has degenerated of late, I was just thinking out aloud rather than passing judgment on people who come and comment here.

mapcar 13y ago

I come to HN for a balanced perspective. If the article is positive, then I want to hear the other side of it. Like the comment about how it has the feeling of being cooperative but not really effective in redistributing resources. I don't know if it's cooperation or altruism, but I'm okay with comments that don't necessarily reaffirm the positive tone of the article.