I mostly use Facebook to look at the recent submissions in the Deep Learning group. I mostly come to HN for SV gossip, and to stroke my ego.

Perhaps instead of trying to see the differences, you should look for similarities. For example, how addictive is the site?

The OP commented how sites like Facebook and Instagram seem to distort people's view of what is a normal or good life, as often only the best moments are shared on the site. And this affect can happen even if you are aware of it.

HN is mostly about discussing specific sorts of topics, and doesn't have much of a personal profile, so it is likely that affect is far smaller here.

As for addictiveness, I would agree with you that they are similar along that dimension.

You don't think reading about 300k SE salaries, or startups valued in billions before they turn any profit can distort people's view of what is normal, or good life?

Yes, I think it can. However, this type of content makes up a smaller percentage of HN content, and lack of video and images makes it less visceral. Also, HN commenters are fairly good at acknowledging this and helping each other counteract the distortion.

And yet that type of content affects me much more than anything I ever saw on FB.

My point is, I come to HN for similar reasons as why my gf goes to Instagram. We are both affected by what we see. It might distort our worldview. We are both addicted.

You can claim the high ground, and believe that somehow what you do here is different or more "noble" than what other people do on other social media sites, but that's a very common illusion.

I would guess that the way you use Facebook, by only visiting Deep Learning groups, is a fairly atypical usage pattern.

I'm not trying to claim any personal high ground. I'm trying to understand, in general, how these different types of sites tend to affect people.

Just a little anecdote, but my experience mirrors OP's.

I also use FB for groups related to computing. It's not DL groups for me, but something else in the computosphere that concerns me but the aspect is similar. I think a lot of people on this site might display behavior similar to OP's.

After all, facebook is but a tool, it's up to you how you wield it.

I'm curious if p1esk sees these things as really bad or actually normal or acceptable.

If you mean things like "reality distortion", distraction, addiction, then I see them as "bad" things.

However, social sites provide an opportunity to communicate with smart, knowledgeable, caring, or just like-minded people, who might not be available otherwise. To me, that's valuable enough to outweigh the negative aspects.

I just hope you see how ironic the parent's comment seems, because everything he tried to distance himself from on other sites: addiction, distraction, "constant consumption", seeing "very best slices of everyone's lives" - it's all here.

I understand what you are saying, and acknowledge that HN has some of those things. I simply disagree that they are as prevalent or severe on HN, on average, compared to sites like FB.

Perhaps in time more people will be able to use Facebook (and HN) more judiciously, as you do. That would be a good trend I think.