zlacker

>>capabl+(OP)
> Still, as an occasional reader, I have noticed certain trends. When stories that focus on structural barriers faced by women in the workplace, or on diversity in tech, or on race or masculinity—stories, admittedly, that are more intriguing to me, a person interested in the humanities, than stories on technical topics—hit the front page, users often flag them, presumably for being off topic, so fast that hardly any comments accrue.

I have noticed this trend for a long time also, and well before this article was first written. It seems to go in waves though I'll cautiously say that it seems to have gotten somewhat better in recent years. I remember a time in the mid-2010s when these kinds of stories would disappear almost instantaneously. Now some of these articles and topics get a good number of upvotes and occasionally even substantive dialogue.

That said, the comments sections on these articles do tend to devolve pretty quickly.

>>belfal+Nh
That kind of stuff has infected so much of modern discourse, if people want to talk about it there are plenty of forums for it. Why should we all stop what we're doing and prioritize discussing a niche political cause who's proponents have been blackmailing people everywhere into paying attention to them and have now come to dominate all sorts of forums and secure power, ironically with no benefit to the people they feign support for.

And when people say they want it discussed, they don't mean they want to read diverse opinions, they just mean they want to see orthodoxy regurgitated.

>>versio+Zy
I don't think "women in tech" is a niche political cause... and this is a tech forum.

>>spondy+WU
How did you arrive at "women in tech" as a niche from the parent comment? It doesn't mention this. And I agree, women in tech hasn't been a niche political cause for at least 10-15 years, possibly longer.

>>teh_kl+ek1
HN user belfalas, quoting the linked New Yorker article:

> When stories that focus on structural barriers faced by women in the workplace, or on diversity in tech, or on race or masculinity...

Then, HN user version_five in reply:

> Why should we all stop what we're doing and prioritize discussing a niche political cause...