[steventruong]

It helps raise awareness and reach others who are not HN and Reddit regulars too and by extension reach others several degrees out. That's the first step in affecting change i.e. educating others and getting the word out. If you don't attempt to do this, nothing will happen. Its not a waste. A waste is exactly what you suggest, sitting idle while shit happens and you choose not to do anything simply because you feel its a "waste". That's ignorance at its best.