A Love Letter to People Who Believe in People

Early enthusiasm and social proof

• Several commenters resonated with the idea that a small number of early “believers” are transformative.
• People noted social proof dynamics: invitations and initiatives often fail in the abstract but succeed once 2–3 people commit, because most want to avoid visible failure.
• In meetings, even a minor contribution from a senior person can “break the ice” and unlock participation.

Fans, critics, and cynics

• Many celebrated “being a fan” as energizing, generous, and contagious compared with the safer, destructive posture of pure criticism.
• Others pushed back: the world needs thoughtful critics; the problem is cynics and “scorekeepers,” not criticism itself.
• Several argued the best critics are often deep fans who want improvement and also celebrate successes.
• A recurring theme: it’s a skill to critique without deflating people, and to avoid equating “critic” with “hater.”

Fandom’s darker edges

• Commenters pointed to extreme fandom turning into harassment, “anti-fans,” and even violence.
• Some distinguished between parasocial celebrity fandom (which can morph into gangs, politics, or dynasties) and the article’s focus on personal, grounded belief in people around you.

Workplaces, mentoring, and code review

• Personal stories highlighted how a manager or mentor who is a genuine “fan” can permanently change someone’s trajectory.
• Others described code review cultures that skew negative, sometimes distorted by metrics (e.g., counting comments), discouraging praise and encouraging nitpicking.
• Tactics suggested: use questions instead of accusations, focus on “we/the work,” and pair criticism with specific, sincere positives.

Culture, online communities, and cynicism

• Several lamented a broader culture that rewards meanness, “take-downs,” and smug superiority (reality TV, political satire, social media).
• Some saw HN itself as a place where ideas are often over‑critiqued, with few concrete contributions offered.
• Others argued HN is still relatively constructive compared to other platforms but acknowledged a critical baseline that can feel draining.

Enthusiasm, personality, and competition

• Enthusiasts reported backlash, especially in tech, where many feel burned by failed hype and become curmudgeonly.
• There was debate over competitiveness: some reject win‑lose frames in favor of collaborative “win‑win,” others stress that kindness is not weakness.

Philosophical detours on belief and humility

• A long subthread around a classic passage on humility and conviction explored whether modern doubt undermines action or appropriately challenges dubious “truths.”
• Participants disputed whether prescriptive beliefs (“how things ought to be”) are real or useful, and how they relate to motivation and aims.