[throwaway9324]

This is a pretty bad opinion piece using scare quotes, personal attacks and anecdotal commentary. It's disappointing to see this up-voted since people here aren't interested in a debate, but just to affirming there own views on the subject.

I pretty glad I got out of the mainstream tech industry when I had the chance.

Edit: And yes please reaffirm what cowards you are by down-voting instead of replying.

[WalterSear]

    Edit: And yes please reaffirm what cowards you are
    by down-voting instead of replying.

This part:

    This is a pretty bad opinion piece using scare quotes,
    personal attacks and anecdotal commentary.

And this part:

    It's disappointing to see this up-voted since people
    here aren't interested in a debate, but just to       
    affirming there own views on the subject.

And some people are probably downvoting the vindictiveness and prejudice you hold and make evident in this part:

    I pretty glad I got out of the mainstream tech industry when I had the chance.

And maybe some are downvoting the prejudice and spite you demonstrate overall. Hope your day gets better.

[throwaway9324]

"This part"

Do you want to refute my claim or do you don't think quality of the article is important?

"And this part"

I don't sympathize with people that actively constructs an environment where they will meet the least resistance. It's one thing if opinion pieces of different views on this subject was posted regularly, but they aren't. Quite the opposite.

"the vindictiveness and prejudice"

Maybe the biggest reason I left the mainstream tech industry is because of the judgement you meet when expressing an opinion that is seen as even remotely devaluing tech.

I'm having a much better time traveling and running my own business than being overworked, arguing about some library on a mailing list while trying to get some hobby project functional for production. Maybe that is prejudice, but it also how a lot of the tech industry works.

"are downvoting the prejudice and spite you demonstrate"

Or maybe it's just far easier.

"Hope your day gets better"

My day is going fine. My interaction here is very much conscious and not because I had a bad day.

[hnnewguy]

>"Do you want to refute my claim or do you don't think quality of the article is important?"

Refute what claim? That you think it's a "bad piece"? That's an opinion, and you're entitled to it. There's nothing to refute.

[throwaway9324]

As I said I think it's a bad piece because it uses cheap rhetorical devices rather than providing a nuanced view of the subject. And, as I also said, I don't think this kind of angled article is appropriate if articles from the other angles of the same subject aren't being presented on HN.

Those who upvoted it probably have a different view or they don't think the quality of the article matters as long as they agree with it.

You can find almost every opinion possible on the Internet. They have no value unless there's an argument behind them. I'm not going to write an essay for deaf ears, but I did express my opinion with initial argumentation. So don't act like I didn't and there's nothing to refute.

Edit: I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion as long as it's grey at the bottom of the page. Talk about tolerance.

[anthony_d]

Well, it does look trollish to complain about the lack of debate without actually debating a point. Do you have an on-topic opinion to share?

[throwaway9324]

I realize that it can look that way. But what could I do to have a fair chance to refute something that is made to be hard to disagree with, as most opinion pieces are? Where the subject is also something that I and the audience are inexperienced with and where the audience share the emotion being expressed in the article.

Regardless, here is my on-topic opinion. Colleges are one of the few places in society where you can experiment with different ideas. If those ideas always have to be holistic in regards to the schools well-being or in-line with that the NY times thinks they will very easy be limited. Wildly disagreeing is a good thing, including disagreeing with what, how, when and where you can disagree. Say you weren't able to try to censor something, then few people would see the importance of free speech.

If there's anyone who should be criticized, to the extent they are guilty, it's not those who express their opinions, but the schools themselves. They are the "referees".

The article of course on purpose disregards the fact that these kind of groups, regardless if you agree with them or not, often have very well-thought out arguments, stories and reasons behind their actions.