Toxic Comments Debate

The cluster focuses on meta-discussions about the term 'toxic' in Hacker News comments, debating its definition, application to disagreements, and overuse as an insult for unproductive or disagreeable discourse.

📉 Falling 0.3x Politics & Society
2,897
Comments
18
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#3547
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2009
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2012
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2013
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2014
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2016
102
2017
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2018
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2019
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Keywords

CS HN ZH ycombinator.com GaTech toxic toxicity autistic insult criticizing jerk racism calling cultures advocating

Sample Comments

brtknr Sep 4, 2018 View on HN

Looks like some of the discussion below is turning "toxic"... coincidence?

avestura Apr 28, 2022 View on HN

Can you please elaborate on why you think it's toxic?

__rito__ Jan 30, 2023 View on HN

Being toxic is not an admirable trait.

nottorp Oct 31, 2021 View on HN

So... everyone that disagrees with you is "toxic"?

joemi Feb 15, 2022 View on HN

Disagreeing doesn't make something toxic.

bn-l Jun 11, 2024 View on HN

That does sound pretty toxic to be fair.

chuck32 Jun 16, 2017 View on HN

Annoying? Perhaps. But toxic? I don't see how..

logicalmonster Dec 9, 2021 View on HN

Are certain people using "toxic" as a synonym for "adds virtually nothing intelligent to the conversation"?

oh_sigh Nov 15, 2020 View on HN

I think calling non-toxic things toxic is toxic.

Khaine Feb 8, 2019 View on HN

"toxic" has replaced "problematic" as the new go to insult