[infodroid]

Over the past few years, the increase in zero-effort contributions have all but destroyed the quality of discussions on HN. And you aren't doing anything about it. HN is looking more indistinguishable from Reddit and I'll be damned if I let that happen.

Civility should be reserved for people who are looking to argue and discuss in good faith.

[dang]

That's not what the site guidelines say; "be civil" has been there, unqualified, from the beginning.

[infodroid]

As HN has gained increasing prominence in mainstream media and the wider tech community over recent years, it has attracted a vocal and sizable mass of users that think it is fine to display a lazy and wilfully ignorant attitude.

The existing HN mechanisms to discourage such low quality content are no longer effective, because this mass of new users is now self-reinforcing.

I interpret low-effort comments as the output of individuals who are disrespectful towards the goals of a good faith discussion community, because they willfully or carelessly contribute noise and dilute the signal.

Because I interpret this behavior as antisocial and disrespectful and an act of initiating incivility, I have grown increasingly hostile towards such users, and have started attacking them openly "in response".

We're going to have to part ways here. Because I don't think I am going to back down on this principle. I believe it's fair and just to punish this bad behavior by making these people feel bad for harming the commons.

I know if I continue doing this, it is not going to be acceptable, and I know I will no longer be welcome here.

This is why I am moving on from HN.