It's definitely not procrastination posting. I've formed valuable relationships from people who have reached out after a comment I wrote. Aside from that, commenting on HN is a great way to practice my writing skills, which I rarely get to use since my day-to-day work consists largely of programming. The community here is invaluable in that it provides an audience for your writing, so long as you are willing to fit your arguments into an intellectually rigorous framework and provide sources when necessary. It's much easier to hone your writing ability when you have an audience, and I am very grateful to HN for providing one. I hope the community can avoid a "eternal September" problem and continue providing a valuable service.