I see. I think what I didn't know was that you can't delete a comment once someone replies to you. Like, I can't delete the comment you just replied to, but there are older comments I can delete.

>I think it's worth leaving a trail of instances of when "conform with the masses or shut up" happen on HN.

without context, that trail doesn't lend much weight. That's what makes the sentiment feel passive aggressive. "deleting evidence" so to speak, gives the implication that the comment in question wouldn't be a universally agreeable one to begin with, even outside of the hivemind.