Based on the stories, what's been happening at Nest is an extreme case of many of the same organizational antipatterns that people in the tech industry see in their own companies on a smaller scale. The things that have happened at Nest (if the stories are to be believed) are like cancer to a tech company. If left unchecked those antipatterns can grow and consume a company, and can ultimately kill it. No amount of reform will save a company if they can no longer retain talent or recruit replacements of the same or better caliber.
Given that so many HN readers are in the tech industry themselves, they probably worry about these kinds of cancers taking root at their own companies (I know I do). This stuff exists everywhere, it's just that for stable companies it's the exception and not the rule. I'm not surprised that it's been a hot topic.