Ask HN: Is Hacker News a Waste of Time?

Re:Ask HN: Is Hacker News a Waste of Time? by randallsquared on Friday January 23, 2009 @09:35PM (#447628)

I'd agree that they should. However, if someone's on the fence, pushing them in a productive direction might be something that serves our (well, pg's) goals, in which case it's not really about responsibility, but about pg's effect on others, something he will likely want to take responsibility for, at least to some extent.

Or, to lift a more succinct phrase, "lead us not into temptation". ;)

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Re:Ask HN: Is Hacker News a Waste of Time? by DavidSJ on Friday January 23, 2009 @10:07PM (#447667)

"Pushing them in a productive direction" could be something like "You've been spending a lot of time here. Don't you think you should do something else?"

But for all the people not on the fence, you're denying them responsibility for their own choices. I can't help but feel that your stated agreement with me that individuals should be responsible for themselves is empty if you support measures that take all choice away from them.

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Re:Ask HN: Is Hacker News a Waste of Time? by randallsquared on Saturday January 24, 2009 @12:16AM (#447781)

I don't really support measures that take away choices (I'm against having the site closed for X hours per day, for example), but I do support arranging choices and defaults such that the goals of the arranger are furthered.

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Re:Ask HN: Is Hacker News a Waste of Time? by DavidSJ on Saturday January 24, 2009 @12:35AM (#447800)

Fair enough.

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