Why that last bit? Generic tangents supplant narrower/specific topics with broader/generic ones that people tend to already have opinions about, which they are eager to repeat. Because of this, generic tangents—especially on divisive/indignant topics—end up having two bad effects: (1) they take over the conversation, and (2) they are repetitive.
It's similar to how weeds take over a garden. We want a garden of unusual, interesting plants, not the most common ones that take over everywhere if allowed to.
I hear you, although I respectfully disagree that my comment was either flamebait or a generic tangent. The topic is (IMHO) appropriate for HN, and a concrete example like this is a good way to highlight the issue. It seems quite far from a common weed to me.
It's generic in the sense that it masks out all the bits about fusion energy, let alone this specific report of a discovery, in favor of the much larger and more general topic of what's happening with science and health funding in the US.
Why that last bit? Generic tangents supplant narrower/specific topics with broader/generic ones that people tend to already have opinions about, which they are eager to repeat. Because of this, generic tangents—especially on divisive/indignant topics—end up having two bad effects: (1) they take over the conversation, and (2) they are repetitive.
It's similar to how weeds take over a garden. We want a garden of unusual, interesting plants, not the most common ones that take over everywhere if allowed to.
https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...