Tell HN: Happy Thanksgiving

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall sentiment

  • Strong outpouring of gratitude and affection for HN as a rare, high-signal corner of the internet.
  • Many describe it as “home”, a daily ritual, or one of the only sites they still visit regularly.
  • People appreciate the mix of intelligence, curiosity, and “lovable nerdiness”, plus the balance of seriousness and silly fun.

Longevity and personal impact

  • Numerous commenters note being here 10–19 years; many more 5–10. Several say HN has outlasted every other community they’ve used.
  • HN is credited with shaping careers (e.g., moving into software, startups, OSS), critical thinking, and worldviews.
  • Some relate life stories: discovering programming on early home computers, transitioning from Slashdot/Reddit, or feeling less isolated in their local context.
  • Longtime lurkers say the discourse has finally reached a level where they feel comfortable participating.

Community quality and moderation

  • Widespread thanks to moderators and YC for maintaining high signal-to-noise and resisting outrage-driven dynamics.
  • Several compare HN favorably to other platforms whose communities have degraded or whose algorithms optimize for engagement rather than curiosity.
  • Some longtimers feel discourse quality has slipped and there’s more politics or noise, but still regard HN as the best remaining community of its type.
  • Others explicitly argue it’s “better than ever” with more diverse perspectives and domain experts.

Use in daily life and work

  • People use HN as a primary news and tech-curation source, often more for comments than for links.
  • Educators bring HN threads into lectures to illustrate real-world software engineering debates.
  • Some found jobs, startup ideas, or technical tools via HN, and plan to “give back” with Show HN posts.

Debates, tensions, and side threads

  • Brief but intense subthread about Aaron Swartz: whether breaking “unjust” laws should be celebrated, the proportionality of enforcement, and responsibility for his death; moderators eventually mark it offtopic.
  • Discussion around YC’s handling of a disgraced portfolio company appears as a criticism of perceived image management; a moderator responds with links to critical coverage on HN.
  • Multiple comments highlight that Thanksgiving also has a darker side for Native Americans, linking to critical perspectives.
  • A few users criticize rising “toxic positivity”, increased political content, or low-quality science posts, yet most still see enough value to keep coming back.