People upvote popular opinions. Say something volatile that creates any sort of friction against the HN hive mind and it will be downvoted, regardless of how intelligent and true.

True. It's probably a sign of good writing if you can elicit such a response.

"The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function."

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

...which sounds like a great training field for persuasive writing ;)

And word games. Any voting outcome on my previous comment reflects as as "meta" and well thought out. As long as keep my mouth shut.

Damn it.