Sure, I agree with you, it just depends on what you want HN to be. I am an outsider to the US, I see your country as deeply divided. Families torn apart because of how they vote. Unthinkable here, probably unthinkable over there up until 10 years ago. In fact it seems more and more likely the US will erupt in a civil war, and split in 2.
It just such a shame that HN, what I see as a gathering ground of intelligent people, is so much contributing to the divide by labeling people with other opinions as sub-humans almost. Belligerent, closed, judging. I don't like it.
Remember that the division you see is amplified by polarizing voices that are naturally amplified by the medium that is the Internet. If you actually traveled to the US, did a long road trip across the country and sat down and talked to actual Americans, I expect you will find that the vast majority don't have strong opinions about who runs the country. They just want to afford rent and groceries.
Also if you think nerdy people who hang out on HN are immune to being "belligerent, closed-minded and judgy", you haven't worked with many nerdy people. We technical/intellectual types tend to be very logical and rational, until we're not.
Is it more frightening or less than being legally banned from existence? You don’t have to know much about history to see why people start cutting abusive relationships.
Welcome to the downfall of civilization. It happens precisely because one side (or one player on one side) decides to stop playing infinite games, and start playing finite games instead. They weaponize your civility against you. The incentives for both sides shift, and we enter a downward spiral.
I'm not sure I've said anything that would indicate that i am , but I'm not from the US.
> Families torn apart because of how they vote
That's reductive in my opinion, I'd consider it a misrepresentation of the situation, at best.
Given your other comments i'd lean towards it being intentional misrepresentation, but i could be wrong, either way i doubt we'll come to an understanding on this point so i'll just leave it there.
> Unthinkable here, probably unthinkable over their up until 10 years ago.
I doubt this is true, but if you genuinely think it's just a box ticking exercise and not a representation of ideology and perspective then it's possible we just have a fundamental disagreement of what's actually happening, so of course we'd disagree on interpretations.
> In fact it seems more and more likely the US will erupt in a civil war, and split in 2.
This i can see though.
> It just such a shame that HN, what I see as a gathering ground of intelligent people,
"Intelligent" people aren't inherently apolitical in my experience, they are also significantly less likely to not call you on something they see as bullshit.
If you are looking for a place where you can define a perspective or opinion and not be challenged on it, this is absolutely not the place for you.
> is so much contributing to the divide by labeling people with other opinions as sub-humans almost.
I'm genuinely not sure how to address this level of cognitive dissonance.
Either it's intentional, in which case no amount of discussion will be productive or it's unintentional and i don't know how to begin to address it.
> Belligerent, closed, judging. I don't like it.
You literally rocked up and replied to a thread with judgement based on a non-standard interpretation of a statement and then proceeded to say, multiple times, how disappointed you were that people expressed opinions different to your own, so much so that you expressed that you might leave if they didn't stop.
As i said elsewhere, you don't have to (and IMO shouldn't) stay in a place you don't like, but if you're going to be upset by responses with differing opinions to your own i doubt this is a place you are going to enjoy.
That's 100% allowed, i'd personally encourage it, if you find yourself in a place you don't enjoy, stop going to that place.
That's a mature response to a self-imposed stressful environment.