Ask HN: Is HN becoming more toxic?

16 points by make_it_sure 85 days ago | 13 comments

I'm not an active user, I visit HN 2-3 times per day, check frontpage, check comments and usually leave without commenting.

I have the impression lately that comments are starting to get similar to 4chan or some subreddits echo-chambers, usually pushing to extreme left style.

Latest insults to Openclaw founder made me post this question and wondering if you feel the same?

k310 85 days ago |

Your post is toxic in itself.

"similar to" and "pushing to" are weasel words.

I skim EVERYTHING. And in light of this, anything fishy is easy for me to just ignore.

HN has strong moderation. I only use two sites daily, both of which are heavily moderated. If something is really offensive, I trust the mods to deal with it appropriately.

Rochus 84 days ago | |

This is just a honest view, with which you can agree or not, presented emotionless, referring to facts. How can this post be "toxic in itself". Maybe I'm too old (gen X) and culture has shifted dramatically without me noticing, but critical thinking should still be considered a virtue by everyone, isn't it?

chistev 85 days ago | |

What's the other site?

k310 85 days ago | | |

Political. Don't want to start a flame war here. Let's just say that it's a bit better, IMO, at ousting trolls.

Did I just start a flame war? Sorry. :-)

make_it_sure 85 days ago | |

moderation acts only on bad worded posts, but not the meaning of them

chistev 85 days ago |

I don't know if it is. I just know people down vote you if they disagree with you without trying to explain why you're wrong or shouldn't have said what you said.

But that has always been the case.

Rochus 84 days ago | |

I agree that downvoting is definitely misused. I often see the most intelligent and best technical answer to be downvoted. Votes no longer seem to represent quality or truth.

make_it_sure 85 days ago | |

That's normal, but I'm referring to toxic behaviour like insults and extreme views.

chistev 85 days ago | | |

For example, why is this comment getting down voted? Lol.

nathanaldensr 84 days ago |

Lots of people of a certain ideological persuasion view it as their religious mission to invade spaces--all spaces--and force their ideological perspectives on everyone. To be sure, they're a very, very vocal minority, but you know what they say: "misery loves company."

I share your observations.

xtiansimon 84 days ago |

"toxic"? I don't think HN is more toxic than anywhere else on the net. Less so even. People may share a thought that is poorly considered, and, if another person takes objection, get called out for it. And most remonstrations are at the civil level--polite with an explanation of the objection.

That said, consuming the news and social media at this time does raise my hackles. Rage inducing, even. "God" help us all.

Rochus 84 days ago | |

> I don't think HN is more toxic than anywhere else

It is supposed to be less toxic, enabling interesting discussions about tech, where people can exchange ideas and learn something. There are enough other places for politics.

jaybrendansmith 84 days ago |

Ironic that this post is flagged. But honestly, I probably sound like an extreme leftist in my comments. I can assure you that I am a political moderate, and would be considered a conservative in Europe because I am very pro-capitalist and pro-entrepreneur. But the political situation in the USA has swung so far to the right as to make it seem like I am a social democrat. And yes, those of us who are utterly horrified by what we are seeing and reading about are making some completely understandable noise on HN. I'm kinda horrified that more people are not, to be honest. The American experiment is a fragile thing, and as we teeter on the brink of losing it, I would hope most of us hackers would look at the world we've been able to build and understand better the foundations of freedom and democracy that keep it healthy.