I definitely see where you're coming from. Personally, I find the metaphor interesting insofar as that there isn't a 'linearity' of threads. One of my personal peeves with HN/reddit/discord/forums which I'm inspired by is the 'list-style feed' of it all. It doesn't sit well with me as a design choice, if that makes sense. Another thing is for sure the 'metaphor'. I think that switching the design/psychological context of what you're doing adds a bit of respite from the, in my opinion, brutish psychology of these other conversational platforms. That being said, I don't oppose your interpretation. From a technical standpoint I believe what you're saying is more than fair and possibly stemming from my own need for growing/learning more as a programmer.