Most active commenters
  • foldr(3)

←back to thread

757 points headalgorithm | 18 comments | | HN request time: 3.546s | source | bottom
Show context
joshdavham ◴[] No.42950233[source]
One thing to consider for those of us who are more sensitive to online outrage is to just quit social media all together. I’m technically gen z and I’ve been off of social media (aside from HN, WhatsApp and discord) for years and you wouldn’t believe how great it’s been for my overall state of mind.

Reddit, instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, etc are all the equivalent of digital junk food and I’d argue that we’re all a lot more negatively affected by it than we think. There’s a reason ‘brain rot’ was word of the year.

replies(52): >>42950320 #>>42950336 #>>42950445 #>>42950473 #>>42951182 #>>42951436 #>>42951814 #>>42951934 #>>42951963 #>>42952084 #>>42952101 #>>42952182 #>>42952192 #>>42952227 #>>42952628 #>>42952897 #>>42953078 #>>42953222 #>>42953419 #>>42953803 #>>42954274 #>>42954441 #>>42954731 #>>42954909 #>>42954954 #>>42954988 #>>42955155 #>>42955212 #>>42955289 #>>42955294 #>>42955418 #>>42956109 #>>42956724 #>>42956961 #>>42956964 #>>42957605 #>>42957866 #>>42958342 #>>42958365 #>>42959482 #>>42959947 #>>42960118 #>>42960167 #>>42960565 #>>42960840 #>>42965103 #>>42965157 #>>42965320 #>>42966271 #>>42967557 #>>42968099 #>>42968645 #
ge96 ◴[] No.42951934[source]
I quit reddit too recently, I still look at it for info but I'm not logged in/scrolling through it

I find myself reaching for something when I have YouTube/chilling at my desk at the end of the day, can't code anymore/make something just on till I sleep. Sometimes have the desire to play a video game (I have a gaming rig too funny how that works)

I've been trying to read HN or IEEE, TechCrunch stuff like that as my "lazy fun"

I will miss posting stuff like "what is this car" or being part of the car talk for a sporty car I drive but idk kind of want to just live too

It's unfortunate people expect you to have social media like a girl asks me if I have Instagram and I'm weird to not have one, I get it they can scope you out too for safety but when I tried using that stuff I felt this pressure to post about something

Anyway my main goal in life right now is getting out of debt/staying fit and work on projects

replies(11): >>42952309 #>>42952617 #>>42952690 #>>42952816 #>>42953624 #>>42953643 #>>42953946 #>>42954364 #>>42956528 #>>42956977 #>>42965346 #
niceice ◴[] No.42953624[source]
I checked reddit recently for the first time in a while, and I was shocked by how radicalized its become. An echo chamber of hateful people and perhaps GPTs that are agitating the big subreddits. The contrast is stark with all the "no place for hate" in the rules and endless banning of microaggressions.

I saw dozens of death threats. Even an explicit death threat thread with over 40,000 upvotes before reddit stepped in and shut the whole subreddit down.

It reminded me of Ghostbusters 2 with all the aggressively angry people and the ooze pouring out of the sewers, all building upon itself.

replies(9): >>42953859 #>>42954366 #>>42954686 #>>42954831 #>>42955797 #>>42955864 #>>42956330 #>>42959346 #>>42967763 #
urda ◴[] No.42955864[source]
Reddit, by far, is one of the worst echo chambers on the internet. I've seen hundreds of death threats at one political group on there, but if any veiled threat is made against the "reddit approved party" it is instantly removed or accounts suspended. This really peaked during 2020, when open calls for violence stayed up, some with reddit admin approvals.

It used to be a good site, but that was many years ago.

replies(2): >>42957460 #>>42965393 #
intended ◴[] No.42957460[source]
Did people forget the_donald?

What do people think others will do, when they see that the_donald behavior gets rewarded by electoral and political support?

If its not clear, everyone is going to radicalize, because its getting success.

replies(3): >>42958373 #>>42958402 #>>42964864 #
xvector[dead post] ◴[] No.42958402[source]
[flagged]
deathanatos ◴[] No.42959601[source]
> Subreddits like r/pics are packed full of thinly veiled death threats towards the sitting president or Elon Musk.

This is just blatant misinformation. Since r/pics is the only example you've chosen to give us, let's evaluate it: I've scrolled through the current first 50 posts in Hot, and 0 of them are death threats, thinly veiled or otherwise. "Packed full", indeed.

And here, so it isn't simply my word vs. his; these are the current posts:

  Protest, "Musk Stole Your Tax Data"
  Picture of Nazi being punched after making a Nazi salute
  Protest, "The Whole World is Watching"
  Painting over values at the FBI
  McConnell in a wheelchair
  Flag upside down outside State Dept.
  Kid covering ears with politician in foreground
  "Buy Canadian Instead" sign in CA store
  Protest, no visible message, flag with corp logos instead of stars
  German anti-fascism protest
  UFC fight match post KO [KO'd opponent is a neo-Nazi]
  US Marine holding flag in distress position
  Protestor, "No kings in America", dressed as Cap. America, mouth taped over
  Protest "Nobody voted for Elon"
  Protest "Stop Musk's Takeover"
  Picture of Trudeau
  Protest "Smells like Fascism"
… none of which are death threats. I could scroll all night and not see any examples.
replies(5): >>42959752 #>>42959762 #>>42959812 #>>42960142 #>>42963822 #
1. Dalewyn ◴[] No.42959901[source]
It feels like everyone forgot Reddit's roots as far as its politics are concerned. Namely, the place was Libertarian Central on the internet until 2015 when it got astroturfed basically overnight to swing the other way. I was there to witness it and the whiplash was something fierce.

Reddit has been basically unusable for anything concerning politics since, and nowadays with politics leaking out into every damn sub possible it definitely has a problem.

replies(3): >>42960275 #>>42960876 #>>42964382 #
2. intended ◴[] No.42960036[source]
Reddit? Or the circumstances of Trump’s presidency?

Hacker News is radicalizing, and is very likely going to have to decide if it’s going to be pro MAGA or not.

What did people think the response was going to be once Trump did everything he said he would? People would lie back and let things happen?

In America? The land of the second amendment? I mean people should be happy, after this liberals are going to be proud members of the NRA.

replies(3): >>42960433 #>>42963607 #>>43043319 #
3. throwawaythekey ◴[] No.42960275[source]
It's a shame it's become hard to make free speech arguments on reddit. RIP Aaron Swartz.
4. eecc ◴[] No.42960797{3}[source]
:D you forgot the /s
5. TFYS ◴[] No.42960799{3}[source]
> deported a few thousand illegal immigrants who are criminals and rapists

As well as thousands who are normal hard-working people.

> taken back Panama Canal from Chinese dictatorship

By using threats of force like a dictatorship.

> attempted to shrink the size of the government and American tax burden

In illegal, non-democratic ways.

> put more tariffs on Chinese dictatorship

As well as more democratic allies.

> focused US on AI

Without understanding the huge risks involved for all of humanity.

> taken over Gaza to prevent another war between Israel and Hamas

By doing ethnic cleansing.

> gotten Mexico and Canada to finally own up to protecting the border

And in the process lost the trust and respect of allies.

replies(1): >>42961076 #
6. foldr ◴[] No.42960876[source]
It’s not a Reddit thing. I also remember the days when everyone online was a libertarian. But Conservatives then turned to nationalist ideologies that don’t emphasize the free market, that are anti-immigration, and that take a dim view of personal sexual freedom. There are fewer people expressing libertarian points of view all over the shop. There’s a good article about it here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/06/05/the-individual...
replies(2): >>42961342 #>>42964376 #
7. arkey ◴[] No.42961076{4}[source]
> As well as thousands who are normal hard-working people.

Do you have sources for that? Honestly trying to find out. Thanks!

replies(1): >>42961955 #
8. marxisttemp ◴[] No.42961364[source]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
replies(1): >>42961485 #
9. ◴[] No.42961485[source]
10. matwood ◴[] No.42961904[source]
I think it's ironic that people are up in arms about random posts on Reddit while many of those same people cheer at pardoning those who attacked the capital and brought actual violence on police officers. Will people letting off steam on Reddit lead to a violent insurrection?

The temperature is so high right now, and it's only continuing to rise because there seems to be zero accountability for what's happening whether it's pardons or Musk running unfettered through government accounts. Unfortunately, it's natural for people to keep escalating when they see no other avenue.

11. matwood ◴[] No.42961955{5}[source]
The only way to round up the numbers Trump wants to round up at this point is by going to job sites. You may think differently, but I don't think criminal gang members are typically working construction, in meat packing plants or picking crops. They are busy doing...you know, criminal things.

Also, Biden has already addressed the numbers coming across the border [1]. So again, the people who are left are mostly hard working people trying to make a life.

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c36e41dx425o

12. foldr ◴[] No.42962080{4}[source]
Nope. I’ve just been around long enough to observe the overall shifts in political discourse that have occurred since the early 2000s.
13. myko ◴[] No.42963607[source]
> after this liberals are going to be proud members of the NRA.

I grew up an active NRA member, shooting since I was 6. I have long since disassociated myself with the group but want to make it clear - a lot of liberals have guns and regularly practice using them.

We don't need the NRA (a Putin funded organization) to do that!

14. fwip ◴[] No.42964376{3}[source]
I used to be a libertarian too, when I was 17 years old and I thought I was the smartest person in the room.

Then I realized that my kindergarten teacher was onto something when she told us we should be nice and share our toys, and I grew up.

replies(1): >>42966725 #
15. fwip ◴[] No.42964382[source]
Astroturfed by whom?
16. ◴[] No.42964484[source]
17. foldr ◴[] No.42966725{4}[source]
Libertarianism was never my thing, but I get the impression that it's not as popular with people in their teens and twenties now as it was in the 2000s.
18. Geezus_42 ◴[] No.43043319[source]
Well Trump is leaning into the Curtis Garvin BS which is apparently quite popular with the Silicon Valley crowd.