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

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482 points ilamont | 1 comments | 11 Jul 20 21:53 UTC | HN request time: 0.342s | source
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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.

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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.

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Karunamon ◴[12 Jul 20 06:04 UTC] No.23809237[source]▶
I'd answer that first question with an emphatic "no", since we already know what happens when decorum goes out the window - we have most other popular forums with a political section to look at. Feelings are hurt, personal attacks come up next, good faith dies, all of those things are anathema to deep discussion. I am aware of no place online, or in real life, where discussion and trolling (or big egos) can coexist.

You don't need sophistication and polish to not be a dick. That's the low water mark, here. Not big words, just please, thankyou, and a willingness to entertain thoughts you disagree with and explain your own.

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tchaffee ◴[12 Jul 20 10:17 UTC] No.23810303[source]▶
Some things are urgent and demand outrage. While the Declaration of Independence might at first glance appear to be an example of decoram, it was not. What it said is that we are done entertaining your ideas and will now start to kill those who try to stop us from putting our ideas in place. Outrage is sometimes appropriate.
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Karunamon ◴[12 Jul 20 16:29 UTC] No.23812510[source]▶
Not on Hacker News, they're not. There is no point in the history of this website (and I'd argue, most if not all social media sites) where outrage has accomplished anything productive or time-sensitive.
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tchaffee ◴[13 Jul 20 09:36 UTC] No.23818895[source]▶
Agreed that nothing is urgent here. It's intentionally an ivory tower. Which is great if society already treats you well.
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Karunamon ◴[15 Jul 20 04:45 UTC] No.23841416[source]▶
Veiled insult aside, the point of a discussion forum is for discussion. If something is not conducive to discussion, it doesn't belong there.
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1. tchaffee ◴[15 Jul 20 10:39 UTC] No.23843412[source]▶
It's not a veiled insult. It's just an accurate description of what HN is. Outrage can be conducive to discussion if you're willing to listen to what some people's lives are actually like. I've had many great discussions that start out with someone outraged. A great way to continue that discussion and get down to the interesting issues is "you sound really angry, tell me why". And then you have to be willing to listen. If you're not willing to listen to angry people about social issues, don't expect to contribute to improving social issues. It's fine that HN has chosen not deal with those things. But then HN should have no problem being called the ivory tower it is.