I have to say I love the meta-nature of this comment. Truly. I feel that the comment in the article about "performative erudition" does point to something -- something that I certainly do on HN!! -- that you are also doing in this comment while you say that the sentence in the article is about something else. You are not wrong about your point (HN sure does love its superficial legalism and uber-rationality) but the way you've said it is exactly the HN style!