Just for the record, the reply to this comment by bopbeepboop that was downvoted to "dead" status is a good example of the type of downvoting I disagree with.

I also understand that this isn't my site, and that I have no control over the behavior of others on this site. I'm just putting that out there.

About bopbeepboop: The comment was not flagged, the account is banned. Look at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26735029 near the end of the tread, the post by dang

A good trick is to go to the comment history, and search until you find the last streak of not dead comments. It's fine to vouch the [dead] comments (if they are fine), and enough vouch unkill the comment. In the case of bopbeepboop it looks like many of the comments were vouched.

OK, I guess I was working under the assumption that the comment was dead because it was downvoted enough times. My bad.

> It's fine to vouch the [dead] comments (if they are fine)

How does one do that? Haven't seen any option to do that.

Click on the time/age of the comment (currently "3 hours ago") and you will get a direct link to the comment with more options, like "vouch" and "flag".

That’s the story.

In actuality, even factual and cited posts will get you shadowbanned if your opinion is contrary to the mainstream (on HN) narrative.

I think it’s more “conforming” than “constructive”.