I just shared a post about the world’s oceans setting record temperatures for 80 continuous days. After the post achieved 130+ upvotes and the top spot within several hours, it was nuked. My experience is that every post on Hacker News addressing climate change is removed or downvoted to oblivion. I don’t want to be part of a community that turns away from probably the most important threat facing humanity in the 21st century. Goodbye and farewell!
Why I’m quitting Hacker News
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Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#2What about your posts on other topics? Were some of them nuked as well under similar circumstances?
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#3You're arguing with and algorithm that says if comments > points then downweight. It's to avoid typical internet flame wars, it's not some rejection by the community or whatever you're inferring. It's just that it rehashes tired and well trodden internet discussions that aren't very interesting. What would you have rather seen happen? It stays at the top so people can pile on about how bad climate change is?
Edit: I'm wrong about the reason, because the comments aren't more than the points. But the point stands, it's algorithmic, it's not some conspiracy against discussing climate change. It's that it's a boring discussion that doesn't add to anyone's understanding.
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#4I noticed how highly voted the post was, so I went in to read the comments for a couple of minutes. When I hit "back" to return to the main page the post had mysteriously disappeared. I found it fleeing down the second page, past many stories which had lower scores and had been lingering for much longer periods. It was very surprising.
These current-events climate stories are the most important pieces of news on the site. If the moderators are deliberately nerfing them (ETA: or exploitable algorithmic policy is allowing them to be nerfed), I find that extremely terrifying. I hope it is not the case.
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#5You're arguing with and algorithm that says if comments > points then downweight. It's to avoid typical internet flame wars, it's not some rejection by the community or whatever you're inferring. It's just that it rehashes tired and well trodden internet discussions that aren't very interesting. What would you have rather seen happen? It stays at the top so people can pile on about how bad climate change is? Edit: I'…
It could very well be admin, as HN has volunteer admins who do this kind of stuff. Since HN keeps the details of administration under wraps we should accept that such speculation, whether true or false, will emerge as a natural consequence to opacity.
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#6You're arguing with and algorithm that says if comments > points then downweight. It's to avoid typical internet flame wars, it's not some rejection by the community or whatever you're inferring. It's just that it rehashes tired and well trodden internet discussions that aren't very interesting. What would you have rather seen happen? It stays at the top so people can pile on about how bad climate change is? Edit: I'…
"The cause is algorithmic. This is the algorithm.
EDIT: The post doesn't follow the algorithm. But still, it's algorithmic, stop being conspiratorial."
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#7There are a good number of posts about climate change and technologies that are relevant to reducing it on HN. I don’t know the details of your post, but it seems possible to have exposure on the topic of warm oceans here. Staying visible on HN is a bit random, since it depends on how other people comment on your post versus how they upvote it.
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#8I noticed how highly voted the post was, so I went in to read the comments for a couple of minutes. When I hit "back" to return to the main page the post had mysteriously disappeared. I found it fleeing down the second page, past many stories which had lower scores and had been lingering for much longer periods. It was very surprising. These current-events climate stories are the most important pieces of news on the…
> These current-events climate stories are the most important pieces of news on the site.
In your opinion. Many other HN users don't feel that way and get tired of seeing the same topic over and over again. If it's not intellectually interesting and seems overly political it's getting that flag button clicked.
EDIT: Before downvoting/flagging me consider that maybe I don't hold the views you dislike. I'm making commentary in the comment section and only pointing out that perhaps it's not dang killing submissions but actually other HN users that don't agree with you.
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#9your loss and ours, unfortunately. still the best place around to have serious debate with awesome people. the overall discussion quality fluctuates, because internet, but it's still pretty great here imo
Re: Why I’m quitting Hacker News
#10I noticed how highly voted the post was, so I went in to read the comments for a couple of minutes. When I hit "back" to return to the main page the post had mysteriously disappeared. I found it fleeing down the second page, past many stories which had lower scores and had been lingering for much longer periods. It was very surprising. These current-events climate stories are the most important pieces of news on the…
> These current-events climate stories are the most important pieces of news on the site. In your opinion. Many other HN users don't feel that way and get tired of seeing the same topic over and over again. If it's not intellectually interesting and seems overly political it's getting that flag button clicked. EDIT: Before downvoting/flagging me consider that maybe I don't hold the views you dislike. I'm making comme…
The world's anomalous current ocean temperatures are not a political matter. And if your brain is telling you that they are, I would beg you to spend some time recalibrating. Or go read something else, there's lots of room on the front page.