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When did AI take over Hacker News?

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Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#141

Post by dijksterhuis »

Dylan16807 wrote: post #127
OnlineGladiator wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you never heard of constructive criticism? https://i.redd.it/s4pxz4eabxh71.jpg

To perform constructive criticism you need to be able to say that something has flaws. Which is saying something negative.

Hmmmm, only if you assume it's a common possibility for X to be perfect from the outset.

Most things are imperfect. Assuming X is imperfect and has flaws isn't being negative, it's just being realistic.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough pal.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#142

Post by crinkly »

popalchemist wrote: post #102
ryandrake wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Weird what counts as "negative" on HN. Question something politely? You're being negative. Criticize something? Negative. Describe it in a way someone might interpret badly? Negative. Sometimes it seems like anything that's not breathless, unconditional praise is considered being negative and curmudgeonly. It's turning into a "positive thoughts only" zone.

Most people do not realize it, but the tech industry is largely predicated on a cult which many people belong to without ever realizing it, which is the cult of "scientism", or in the case of pro-AI types, a subset of that, which is accelerationism. Nietzsche and Jung jointly had the insight that in the wake of the enlightenment, God had been dethroned, yet humans remained in need of a God. For many, that God is simp…

Think that’s fairly accurate.

Also like religious ideologies there’s a lack of critical thinking and an inverse of applicability. The last one has been in my mind for a few months now.

Back in the old days I’d start with a problem and find a solution to it. Now we start with a solution and try and create a problem that needs to be solved.

There a religious parallel to that but I’ve probably pissed off enough people now and don’t want to get nailed to a tree for my writings.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#143

Post by hapticmonkey »

rubyfan wrote: post #131

I’ve been wondering about this lately since HN seems inundated with AI topics. I’m over it already and actually click “hide” on almost all AI articles when I load the page.

Even if an article is not about AI, the comments section will somehow find a way to make it about AI.

It’s exhausting.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#144

Post by lz400 »

snowwrestler wrote: post #21

Would be fun to do similar analysis for HN front page trends that peaked and then declined, like cryptocurrency, NFTs, Web3, and self-driving cars. And actually it’s funny: self-driving cars and cryptocurrency are continuing to advance dramatically in real life but there are hardly any front page HN stories about them anymore. Shows the power of AI as a topic that crowds out others. And possibly reveals the trendy na…

But that makes sense, technology makes headlines when it's exciting. Crypto I'd disagree there's been advances, it's mostly scams and pyramid schemes and it got boring and predictable in that sense so once the promise and excitement is gone, HN doesn't talk about it anymore. Self driving cars became a slow advance over many years, with people not claiming it was around the corner and about to revolutionize everything.

AI is now a field where the claims are, in essence, that we're going to build God in 2 years. Make the whole planet unemployed. Create a permanent underclass. AI researches are being hired at $100-300m comp. I mean, it's definitely a very exciting topic and polarizes opinion. If things plateau and the claims dissappear and it becomes a more boring grind over diminishing returns and price adjustments I think we'll see the same thing, less comments over it.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#145

Post by jakeydus »

camillomiller wrote: post #83
jaredklewis wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you know who flags submissions?

i don’t, but I know certain users have a strong flagging penchant. check my recent submission, the vitriol it received, and read this https://daringfireball.net/linked/2025/03/27/youll-never-gue...

Calling the comments on the meta post ‘vitriol’ is a bit on the hyperbolic side don’t you think?

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#146

Post by Dylan16807 »

haswell wrote: post #137
Dylan16807 wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Curiosity is a neutral response, pushback is a negative response. Both can be good things. Shrug. > Can you clarify what you mean by distinguishing between "questions" and "questioning" "questioning" more directly implies doubt to me.

I think curiosity is a form of questioning. Regarding your distinction, I'm still confused. In a very literal sense, what is the difference between "questions" and "questioning" in your mind? i.e. what are some examples of how they manifest differently in a real world conversation?

It's just a subtle difference in implication that depends on exact wording. Don't read too much into what I'm saying there.

It's hard to argue that asking questions isn't neutral, but being questioning implies doubt and it says so in the dictionary to back me up, it's not really more complex than that.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#147

Post by Dylan16807 »

dijksterhuis wrote: post #141
Dylan16807 wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To perform constructive criticism you need to be able to say that something has flaws. Which is saying something negative.

Hmmmm, only if you assume it's a common possibility for X to be perfect from the outset. Most things are imperfect. Assuming X is imperfect and has flaws isn't being negative, it's just being realistic. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough pal.

I'm not assuming that at all.

Constructive criticism involves being negative about the aspects that make something imperfect.

A realistic reaction to most things is a mixture of positive and negative.

Re: When did AI take over Hacker News?

#149

Post by chillingeffect »

popalchemist wrote: post #102
ryandrake wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Weird what counts as "negative" on HN. Question something politely? You're being negative. Criticize something? Negative. Describe it in a way someone might interpret badly? Negative. Sometimes it seems like anything that's not breathless, unconditional praise is considered being negative and curmudgeonly. It's turning into a "positive thoughts only" zone.

Most people do not realize it, but the tech industry is largely predicated on a cult which many people belong to without ever realizing it, which is the cult of "scientism", or in the case of pro-AI types, a subset of that, which is accelerationism. Nietzsche and Jung jointly had the insight that in the wake of the enlightenment, God had been dethroned, yet humans remained in need of a God. For many, that God is simp…

Which aspects of God are we seeking, post-Christianity? It seems the focus is on power and creation, w/o regard for unity, discipline, or forgiveness. It's not really a complete picture of God.
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