Can't say for certain of course, but I believe the downvotes are because parent comment makes a claim without any factual backup or clarification of meaning.
You forgot the most important part: and it wasn't in-line with the "proper" thinking.
People make "claims without any factual backup or clarification of meaning" on HN all day every day, and no one bats an eye provided they are consistent with the proper thinking.
Once you see this, it can't be unseen. But getting to the point of being able to see it is easier said than done, it isn't merely having an alternative political ideology, but rather understanding how the human mind works. But once you've got a good handle on that, things like reading the news are completely different experiences than before.