> 'We've banned this account.'

SHOCKER!

> 'Please don't create accounts to break HN's guidelines with, no matter how strongly you feel about something or someone.'

What?

Is that really how you think? That I created this account "just to break HN's 'guidelines' with"? Like that's my sole mission in life: just to piss you off.

Did you ever stop to consider that I am simply sharing my open, brutally honest opinion, based on a rational consideration of a large pile of facts?

By the way, the word 'guideline' implies that it's optional. So what are they actually--rules or guidelines? Do you just redefine language to be whatever you want it to be?

> 'We're trying for something else here because it's the only way to keep the site interesting.'

What does this mean, exactly? I was happy with the status quo of an open, honest exchange of information on an open internet. I don't recognize this Soviet Union style gulag you've converted it into.

You want to try "something else"? How about this for a shocking new innovation: a forum where people can express their opinions without being immediately descended upon and harassed by "no soup for you" Nazi mods.

Is that the crowd you want to nurture and encourage here: populated by idiots and cowards with brittle personalities who can't tolerate differing viewpoints?

> 'From some of your other comments I gather that you've been around this material for a long time and you know a lot about it.'

Well, HOLY SHIT! What an amazing admission.

So we've progressed from the original "this guy is a useless twit, why just LOOK at the shit he posts, we must BAN BAN BAN! don't worry about how he thinks or feels, JUST KILL IT WITH FIRE!", to what is now a much more conciliatory ban message. Instead of the door being slammed in my face, now it is closed with a huff.

Given the observed progression, at this rate within the next 5-10 years at most you'll be begging me to stay, in slowly dawning recognition that the things I know and understand might be of some use to you. Progress.

The catch is, you'll be balls deep in your long-anticipated World War against Russia and China by then. But already at this moment there is no hope that you could ever convince me to stay and help or encourage you with that. Too little, too late. You burned that bridge long ago.

There's countless others like me who have taken our prodigous skills and talents and abandoned this corrupt and wicked society. We have retreated to the hills and stockpiled plenty of popcorn to enjoy the fireworks of your demise. "Gone Galt," they call it.

You couldn't pay us enough to do anything for you people anymore. This is what you have done to yourselves, through countless means and methods, not the least of which is your open embrace of censorship of formerly free and open internet forums.

Did you ever consider that shadowbanning people is an extremely antisocial and evil thing to do to someone? Of course you didn't.

I don't entertain any idea of trying to help you, or others like you, by posting in places like this. I only do it to preserve the idea of resistance in others who are subject to your tyranny.

> 'I get that there's a low probability this argument will work with you but I think it's worth trying to persuade people that it's in their own interest to follow the rules'

Did you ever consider that all of these bullshit rules and regulations people like you enact and prostrate yourself in worship of, aren't in the best interest of society*, and never were?

Did you ever consider that it's YOU who is the problem here?

LOLOFCOURSENOT! YOU ARE WAY TOO SELFISH TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.