I'm far more horrified by what I don't see, by how biased and lopsided the flagging is. Constantly covering up interesting relevant topics. The gatekeeping about what to discuss is, imo, a pox. It's easy to avoid, costs nearly nothing to just not read, and it's little but endless naval gazing about what you think the purpose ought to be. It's not productive and trying to levy judgement is harmful, for an upside that even if we could get it perfect is near zero.
I have some sympathy for the cost to mods. But people having strong opinions about what other people are allowed to share is anti my interest and imo a mockery of hacker spirit.
I personally regard hackers who are intersectional, who see the relationships of things broadly & see how aspects of the world reflect in each other as great. But some people are obsessed with limiting and filtering, and I cannot understand what they are going for.
I If I had to choose an online community that resonates with me, it would be Hacker News. For years, it's served as my muse, therapist, book club, and intellectual playground; all rolled into one. I deeply value the culture it fosters, especially the emphasis on thoughtful discussion.
Paul Graham’s essay "How to Disagree" remains essential reading for anyone engaging in online discourse . It provides a clear framework for constructive debate, and I agree that posts falling into the lowest forms of disagreement (ad hominem attacks or name calling) deserve to be flagged.
Yet, I share your concern, sometimes a post isn’t inherently bad, but attracts low quality replies. Flagging the entire thread in such cases feels disproportionate like amputating a limb just because there’s an itch you can’t scratch. It risks silencing potentially valuable discussion due to the behavior of a few.
I empathize with the moderators. Their job is thankless and difficult, and I appreciate that the warnings we see aren’t automated bots but messages from real humans trying their best. We all have limits and that’s ok.
The sympathy I have for mods is very real. But I do want to mention that flagging is typically not a moderator activity (afaik). Hacker News allows anyone whose been around for a bit to join in suppressing whatever they feel like. There's very few checks or balances on this. There's no accountability. Silent veto, silent death.
I have some sympathy for the cost to mods. But people having strong opinions about what other people are allowed to share is anti my interest and imo a mockery of hacker spirit.
I personally regard hackers who are intersectional, who see the relationships of things broadly & see how aspects of the world reflect in each other as great. But some people are obsessed with limiting and filtering, and I cannot understand what they are going for.