[minimaxir]

You're hitting a confirmation bias.

[zerognowl]

If you mean Be the change you want to see then OP simply has to post to HN with a strong bias towards his/her topic of interest?

I can't see that by merely choosing a topic you are passionate about, that it gets more up-votes, but this is the tactic I do see because by being passionate, by virtue, you post more, and so more upvotes are guaranteed?

[gcatalfamo]

I think he might be referring to the fact that if you can't rank on HN you are prone to believe it is getting harder to do so.