[smcl]

To add - I don't think the issue is that something political is being discussed on HN. We talk politics all the time here, and even heated comments don't always get flagged or downvoted.

The issue here is that this is a fairly benign and interesting story, but this person has used it as an opportunity to air a grievance on something which, to be honest, doesn't seem related other than occurring in roughly the same area. Tangents are fine IMO if they're "if you liked that story, check this...", but if they're just trying to shoe-horn in a rant about some provocative issue that could be crossing the line

[planetis]

The issue at hand is both relevant to the articles meaning and content but it is also identical to the mentioned geographic location. In ancient Greece people refusing to talk about politics where called idiots, meaning a person not partaking in public affairs.

[smcl]

Ah come on, you have to admit that Erdogan's recent posturing has nothing to do with an article about a manual on ancient counter-siege tactics.

And it's a good thing I explicitly said political talk was fine, otherwise someone might think you were calling me an "idiot", right? :D

[planetis]

Of course my friend, no disrespect was meant towards you, that's why I was explicit for the meaning of the word. It's fascinating that some ancient Greek words where borrowed to English with a completely different meaning like empathy which is a negative emotion, similar to envy.

[causi]

We talk politics all the time here, and even heated comments don't always get flagged or downvoted.

Heated comments aren't flagged and downvoted, but unpopular ones are. HN just has a very unique profile of what it considers unpopular opinions that aren't the same as American political issues. There are plenty of downvote squads who will mass-flag submissions they don't like. The comments on such submissions will often be even-headed discussions with a wide range of views represented, all the while the sub is going from flagged to vouched over and over.

[smcl]

You're right that things can get downvoted and flagged according to personal tastes (mention a figure like Marx or Tito without explicitly condemning them and watch the downvotes roll in for an idea of what the prevailing personal tastes here are) but my point is that overall politics is not at all off the table here, even when it's not totally civil.

[ClumsyPilot]

Which is a shame because there is no real understanding of Marx as an economist as a scholar.

It's jusy mob mentality of Marz=Communism=(evil or usefull idiot)

Very few people know that Marx himself was puzzled as to why his book became so popular in Russia, and how little his writing has in common with ideology thay followed

[smcl]

Yep it's a bit silly and it comes from some a place of ignorance. To be honest I'm not in danger of being booted off the site any time soon, so a couple of downvotes here and there aren't going to cause too much harm :)