It also seems to me people's online opinions will tend to extremes. If there is an average reaction, either like or dislike, that might not cross the "click the reply button and write a comment" threshold. So there could be quite a bit of positive reaction, some moderate opinion, but people just won't feel the need to comment on it. So due to this bias one would expect to see more sharply negative or strongly positive responses.

Also I guess HN was mostly about the startup ecosphere, and now that goal shifted. Now it is about technology, programming, social issues _and_ startups.

Announcing a new startup might get a positive reaction from people interested in startup but will get no or negative reaction from those not interested in startups.

I'll raise my hand and admit that I am not interested in startups at all at the moment. I try not to comment negatively or positively on them I just skip those topics.

Should I feel guilty for not being interested, and are characters like me perceived as destroying the HN culture?