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by hombre_fatal 2297 days ago
Criticism is a staple of any human discussion/forum. It's not even feedback, it's just complaining about TFA. Sometimes the top comment on HN is someone complaining about the font-color of the blog post. Let's not lose our minds here.

Seems weird to get worked up over spotting a complaint on HN just because a woman wrote TFA. And btw, most complaints on HN are leveled at men simply because men populate this forum and tech more than women. Does that mean this forum hate men? Why is it assumed men can handle it but women can't?

I have to wonder how many women are turned off by the idea that they need to be babied like this and can't take generic online criticism. Or the suggestion that criticism was only leveled at them because they are women. It sure reeks, to me.
1 comments
Misdicorl 2297 days ago
The type of criticism matters. A lot. It's not about babying women. It's about pointing out different standards for different speakers.
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hombre_fatal 2297 days ago
Having different standards for different speakers is exactly what you're doing.

Criticizing how a message is delivered is standard HN criticism. Especially the sort of "everyone is smart except for me" tone of TFA. I myself criticize commenters here for that as it's something I can't stand, either.

Why would you think it's something we only see leveled at women here? And, according to what? And, yes, you're then infantilizing women when OP does receive that criticism. I think your heart is in the right place, but you're doing exactly what you think you're condemning.

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Misdicorl 2297 days ago
I don't think this type of criticism is only leveled at women. I think it is

a) much more likely to happen for much softer offenses

b) much more likely to become the primary conversation rather than an aside buried three levels deep in the comments

Perhaps in this instance Rachel's rhetoric was so off-putting that it really deserved top billing for conversation/criticism here. But that doesn't ring true for me, and I sincerely doubt the conversation/top post would be the same if instead written by e.g. Carmack

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