Comment by mirimir
8 years ago
I've read that all posts make it to the front page. But they don't stay there very long, unless they get enough upvotes quickly enough. But if they get too many upvotes too quickly, with few comments, they get kicked off the front page.
I've read the converse, that a comment without a vote harms a story's ranking.
I'm certain there's something (unintentionally) perverse in the ranking system, but as it's secret it's impossible to say for sure.
Secret rules that manipulate our behaviour are damaging.
I may have misremembered. Whichever it was, I believe that the intent was to discourage low-quality discussion.