Compared to other platforms? Generally much better, though that might be because standards on most social media platforms are on the floor... fifty feet below sea level. By comparison to the average post on Twitter/Facebook/Reddit/whatever other large social media site you can think of, Hacker News comes across as thoroughly enlightened. It's like comparing a somewhat standard book club to an active war zone.
Compared to previous years? Probably worse, since just about every platform gets worse over time. Eternal September is in full swing by this point, and I've seen a lot more political arguments and barely disguised extremist talking points thrown around than I used to, especially in more controversial threads.
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Compared to other platforms? Generally much better, though that might be because standards on most social media platforms are on the floor... fifty feet below sea level. By comparison to the average post on Twitter/Facebook/Reddit/whatever other large social media site you can think of, Hacker News comes across as thoroughly enlightened. It's like comparing a somewhat standard book club to an active war zone.
Compared to previous years? Probably worse, since just about every platform gets worse over time. Eternal September is in full swing by this point, and I've seen a lot more political arguments and barely disguised extremist talking points thrown around than I used to, especially in more controversial threads.