I post my view that is against the HN hive mind and don't always feel like rebutting the same hive mind talking points again and again. I like to post to prove there is an alternative view out there
I'm also guilty of what they accuse you of. Sometimes my internet comments are not made for the purpose of sparking discussion, but more of a "vent" where I know my take is not popular but I feel the need to throw it out there anyway. The comment is more for "me" than anyone else. And, yeah.. that makes it a bad comment lol.
I also just love playing devil's advocate, and I'm adverse to hivemindy-feeling opinions (even when I share them). Maybe this all describes you, too.
I don't have a problem with people doing that as long as they don't pretend that every other commenter holds the same contrary opinion and that the downvotes indicate they're too sensitive to discuss such things, or other similar rationalizations. If you want to leave some drive-by snark without rationalizing it as being about other people, it's not my favorite kind of comment but I'm not going to object to it either.
I don't know your motivations but I know the "HN hive mind" isn't the problem. When you do engage with people who disagree with you, it usually becomes evident to me that there isn't much substance behind your views and that you struggle to disagree amicably. I also see lots of people on HN with a similar perspective to yours who don't have the same problems or engage in the same patterns of behavior.
The facts are that HN has a diverse set of perspectives with many conservative/libertarian commenters who would align with you, but that your comments are frequently shallow flamebait. Though I have seen a couple good points you've made, as well. Do with that information what you will.
I disagree entirely, I don’t even post very frequently so it’s surprising I have someone tracking my posts. The shorter a comment the better it is, if the same opinion that takes an essay can be distilled into a sentence
My first comment on this whole thread was how security in tech is theater, and the sellers mostly snake oil salesmen. I’m not the first to make this observation and I don’t think it’s wrong. Which is why employment in the sector is down, full circle to the OP
Go ahead, take that slim, speculative, tangential connection and interpret it as permission to inject your hot take into the discussion. Decline to elaborate when your supposition is challenged. You've every right to do that.
Just don't pretend that it's for our benefit or that we downvote it because we're unthinking drones, or that you decline to elaborate because we're simply not capable of having the discussion.
I tell you this because if I were insulating myself inside a bubble and rationalizing my interactions with those who disagree with me as being the reflexive behavior of a hive mind, I would hope someone would point that out to me. So here it is; again, do with the opportunity what you will.
This website is full of unthinking drones acting with hive mind behavior, that is my contention, and I think very differently, not just on here but with almost everyone I engage with. However I succeed over and over with asymmetric bets on a wide variety of things, including and especially tech and making money in tech, so if we compare bank accounts and career trajectories, investments, etc. it would be wise to let me speak
> Just don't pretend that it's for our benefit or that we downvote it because we're unthinking drones
The reason many comments are downvoted on HN in general is most often unknown to me. One interpretation is that it's a major flaw in HN.
This design decision by HN could be intentional, as a trade-off to achieve something else. For example, it could be done to have high velocity of discussion. High velocity could preserve an invariant of keeping or pulling users on the site.
If it's a trade-off, which would suggest something is given up for it, it might be worth exploring what's given up.
I also just love playing devil's advocate, and I'm adverse to hivemindy-feeling opinions (even when I share them). Maybe this all describes you, too.