[dang]

It would be valuable to automatically detect that sort of repetition—repetition is pretty much what we're trying to avoid on HN. Although a certain amount of it can be good for morale I suppose.

Re intent: many people underestimate good intent in these cases. My experience interacting with users is that they're mostly trying to say good and helpful things, even when what they actually say is bad and unhelpful.

[clairity]

also, given the eternal september phenomenon where things that are new to new members are often tired and trite to older members/people, perhaps there's a "maturity" factor that can calibrate what gets surfaced to whom and how much gets collapsed (but still accessible), rather than a single function for everybody. that way new members get to establish some of those same baseline points and arguments without wearing out the "seniors" with retreads.

totally agree that most people have good intentions most of the time, but i'm skeptical of motivations in a public context. intentions and motivations cross purposes all the time, and cheap social points, like junk food, are nearly irresistable to our evolutionarily-culled pro-social chemical pathways.