Title: Over the years I&#x27;ve found writing on HackerNews, Reddit and other online sites has given me an outlet to get creative and engage with folks in a way that will shift discourse towards something I&#x27;m more interested in.<p>I regularly lie and pretend I know about topics and areas I have zero experience in. I began noticing I received more upvotes and engagement when I pandered to views or opinions that are either the direct opposite of what the original content suggests (through cherry-picked exceptions), or I&#x27;ll find a tangentially related view that&#x27;s either current and popular, or supports a topic or viewpoint I&#x27;d like to know more about - often pandered with some popular topic.<p>Often this results in a thread about stuff that I actually want to read about, or someone <i>actually</i> knowledgeable on the subject will correct me - and call me out, but will receive far less approval (and often be flamed for criticizing me). On the plus side, I get to learn from someone really knowledgeable about how something works! (EDIT: Later I&#x27;ll often go back and reply to the person saying they are correct, I was wrong - and thank them for their reply.)<p>Here&#x27;s one of the worst examples (which I regret) because it perpetuates a view about a place I&#x27;ve never been, I&#x27;ve never stepped foot in the continent of Africa - it&#x27;s one of the few times I wish I could go back and &quot;correct the record&quot;: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=9309170" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=9309170</a><p>I know nothing about IP law - &gt;200+ upvotes: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=27035901" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=27035901</a><p>I know nothing about, and have never been through Australia&#x27;s ACCC courts - almost 200 upvotes: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=26787289" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=26787289</a><p>I&#x27;ve never hosted any copyrighted media, ever: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;context?id=16955522" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;context?id=16955522</a><p>I know nothing about tax havens, I&#x27;ve never even submitted my own taxes: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;context?id=16809428" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;context?id=16809428</a><p>Does anyone else do this?
Upvote: