In my culture, a refined critique is something to savored like wine. Careful skepticism is favored over blind boosterism as well.
The comment I was replying to was neither a refined critique nor an example of careful skepticism. Whether you agree with Sebastian isn't the point at all; comments like the one that zuckerborg made do absolutely nothing to raise the level of discourse. Which is probably why the HN guidelines are clear on this point:
Be civil. Don't say things you wouldn't say in a face to face conversation.
When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. E.g. "That is an idiotic thing to say; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."
PG has said elsewhere that one kind of bad comment he tries to keep a lid on is meanness. I don't see any way that zuckerborg's comment wouldn't qualify, as it was aimed at the author's character, rather than this particular essay or argument.
I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner.
Finally, thanks for this jab at my (obviously inferior) background. It's always nice when someone you've never met or spoken to feels the urge to make assumptions about your character and intellect from a few sentences you wrote on a forum.
>comments like the one that zuckerborg made do absolutely nothing to raise the level of discourse
I disagree, I think he artfully illustrated why some people find blogs like Sebastian's so repugnant. In doing so, he even managed to run down a laundry list of reasons.
Wasn't poorly written, either. Would you share an example of how better to express what zuckerborg wrote?
>And thanks for the jab at my (obviously inferior) background.
Inferior? I grew up in poverty. I haven't really seen this kind of behavior outside of the American middle-class.
That is, the blind boosterism that is a plague here. Not to mention the rampant Me-Blogs that get posted and cheered here, absent substance.
I'm exercising a great deal of restraint, too.
Your intellect and character aren't at question here, it's your aesthetics. Stop looking for an excuse to feel indignant, you don't have one.
Don't paste me the guidelines, you just got done decrying the "Fall of HN", something that PG has chastised people for in the past. Don't add hypocrisy to your involvement in this discussion.
>Maybe mattmaroon was right about HN.
Cut the meta bullshit and sideways complaining.
Do you care so little for sobriety and humility that you would defend a "blog" like Sebastian's?
I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner.
> but they hasten the downfall of a wonderful community. So thanks for that.
Melodrama. You should know better than that.