←back to thread

PG: The biggest source of stress for me at YC was running HN

(twitter.com)
482 points ilamont | 3 comments | 11 Jul 20 21:53 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
credit_guy ◴[12 Jul 20 00:24 UTC] No.23807464[source]▶
So here's a startup idea: create an HN-like forum for topics that are usually avoided on HN. Such as politics.

And the only way to have a civil politics forum is to have some professional moderator like dang who can step in and explain the rules to anyone who gets carried away a bit too much. Little by little, the users get educated and start enforcing the rules themselves, either via downvotes, or via actual comments.

Wouldn't that be great? In an age of complete political polarization, to have a sanctuary place on the internet where you can go and exchange thoughtful ideas with considerate peers who may or may not share your political alignment, but treat you with respect.

replies(8): >>23807707 #>>23807771 #>>23807907 #>>23808229 #>>23808628 #>>23808729 #>>23810232 #>>23810659 #
tux1968 ◴[12 Jul 20 04:09 UTC] No.23808729[source]▶
Is it possible that we're overvaluing decorum? While the battles going on over ideas on social media are base --- there is still progress. Ideas are being put through the grinder and being put on display for all sorts of people who might never have had that opportunity a few short years ago.

It's quite possible, that while it's hard to watch, it is just the growing pains of a whole new chapter in the evolution of human thought. One that isn't restricted to sophisticated and polished elites.

Maybe the real problem is our aversion to an all out brawl, rather than the fight itself. It's possible that younger people will just be able to deal with it better -- learn how to better cope with and ignore distractions like trolls etc.

replies(4): >>23808830 #>>23808959 #>>23809237 #>>23810327 #
1. dvtrn ◴[12 Jul 20 04:58 UTC] No.23808959[source]▶
>Is it possible that we're overvaluing decorum?

Yes.

Speaking as a minority who sometimes gets downright livid with the responses here to issues where social-issu technology intersect that are simply phrased eloquently and with “proper decorum” but are still pretty deleterious and exclusionary in their markedly disparate impacts and results for people like me-as more emotionally charged (rightfully, I will defend staunchly) comments criticizing such thoughts and opinion turn grey and ultimately get flagged into non-existence.

replies(1): >>23811794 #
2. tchaffee ◴[12 Jul 20 14:52 UTC] No.23811794[source]▶
> Speaking as a minority

Thank you for speaking up. I often think of HN as ivory tower. It feels great for people who have zero urgency to address social issues because those social issues don't affect them in any way. In fact, those social issues might give some of us an undeserved advantage.

It's not a surprise when you consider PG's own desires to forever be in an ivory tower and to blame any criticism of his own faults on angry mobs. He's never wrong in his own eyes and it's pretty clear that comes from a position of privilege.

HN does achieve one goal: I do love it as a place to discuss intellectual ideas. It does come at a cost of largely sweeping social issues under the carpet.

I would love to see an HN with many of the same rules but where membership is truly diverse and where minorities outnumber the privileged. An HN started by a minority and that would not have PG's DNA. I imagine it having everything I love about HN and perhaps a lot less of what I dislike about HN.

replies(1): >>23812466 #
3. dvtrn ◴[12 Jul 20 16:24 UTC] No.23812466[source]▶
I’ve thought once or twice about starting such a forum, but it’d probably be a bad idea because I have an incredibly fuse which probably won’t do well for the community as a forum leader at large. And at this point in time-a historically low tolerance for any manifestation of some of the bad-faith but eloquently delivered “talking points” from people who hold court in various ivory towers. That alone convinced me it’s not a good idea; plus PG’s general advice of not starting a forum overall is probably good advice for anyone who cherishes their mental health these days.

And the end of the day: There are other areas in real tangible life that I’ve decided to focus this energy and righteous indignation towards that are far more fulfilling, but I will still call things out here on HN where appropriate about these types of intersecting issues, and I will take the downvotes but I’m not gonna stop getting right up in people’s faces and challenging some of these things when they come up.