Do you have any statistics to show the division of HN before and after posts like this? If you don't, then clearly you're wrong about this, and everything else you have ever said.

Well that's socialism and look at how many people that killed.

Poe's law in full effect: I can't work out whether this comment and its parent are jokes or not..

Just trying out my dilution and misdirection.

Sounds like it worked :-)

NB When I posted that comment the entire thread appeared to be people trying out the techniques mentioned in the article.

I think you need to be more precise about your definition of "socialism".

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children!

How does that address all of our problems? Thinking of the children isn't helping generate clean energy or prevent climate change.

Do you have info on all the things he has ever said? Etc..

Haha. "You're dividing the movement."

Now the question is, did you make this comment by accident or on purpose, and when on purpose, then on what purpose. :) Funny uh?

Well, at least you managed me to expose that I read this document. I do not think that this is a genuine one, but it is an still interesting read.

Another similar, a more general topic is the decision theory. This paired with the forum control is a good knowledge when you want to lead a big organization.

Anyone with anything mildly divisive to say left HN long ago.

What would be something "divisive", in your opinion? I think some very divisive topics are discussed fairly regularly here, among them:

1. Gender politics

2. NSA/surveillance

3. Vim/Emacs

And I could name at least 2-3 regular commenters on HN who fall pretty cleanly into each of the opposing sides of these issues (ok, maybe not Emacs, but all the others).

Just because we're not degenerating into flame wars doesn't mean we don't discuss divisive topics.

There's a lot of populations on HN. Some of us avoid those topics like the plague. So no general indictment can be made.

Those topics are poisonous because they can't be driven to a conclusion in two paragraphs or less. And most everything's been said, so they run in circles rehashing tired points. Not to say they aren't important topics. But it takes an essay of 100 pages to cover all the ground, or a PhD even. But everybody has opinions, often based on whatever they just were thinking about. Their arguments come off as sophomoric (which they mostly are). Folks point that out, and away they spin.

> Those topics are poisonous because they can't be driven to a conclusion in two paragraphs or less.

They are poison on voting sites because one side quickly becomes grey. Votes do nothing but squelch conversation, and many choose to self-censor to avoid that.

Don't forget self-driving cars.

The most divisive thing you can do on HN is point out the obvious true fact that there's no such thing as a self-driving car yet.

So what are you suggesting, that we all drive diesel cars?

No way. Volkswagen is a major proponent of diesel cars, and as we all know VW was created by Hitler.

He also wrote emacs.

4. Manned space exploration

There can be pretty good diversity of well-informed and well-argued opinion here. I'm not sure I would call it divisive, but take a look at any of the threads regarding surveillance/police states, economic inequality, geopolitics, etc-- lots of people taking different positions, though admittedly there are a few positions that are more dominant than others.

Interestingly, I think that the SJW-phenomenon would be divisive here as well, but it's seldomly mentioned because of how inane the events which prompt discussion are.

Edit: I appear to have struck a nerve somewhere.

Yawn. That sounds like your typical "this forum is going downhill" sort of talk. Do you have anything to back your claim?

The only thing you can earn here by leaving a mildly divisive comment is a shadowban.

Just out of interest, what would be considered mildly divisive on here, besides aything political that disagrees with the HN consensus?

Be careful that comment is starting to sound divisive. You should edit the word shadowban to "Hug and Rainbows"

You should be shadowbanned!!