Comment by Metatron

I think it's a rejection by some of the karma system. I know that I personally definitely aim not to get points, but at the same time not be a jackass. So that makes me quite cynical and negative in any feedback I do give. I don't like doing anything nice for a karma-like reward, that's just pretentious to me and something I definitely hate about sites like Reddit. I want to feel good about myself in my own eyes, not feed the collective masturbation orgy that many online communities can become, by getting the approval of my opinions from my peers.

But I find that even that tactic is pretty silly and shouldn't be used too much, because as you say, it turns everything far too sour.

So my final solution is to often ignore discussions altogether and us HN as a feed of intellectual peculiarities, and nothing more, only the odd comment here or there. But that does leave me feeling very sorry for the poors sods who ask for feedback here.