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Comment by RiderOfGiraffes | Hacker News Reader

I used to think there was a HackerNews community, I used to think that I was a member of it, and I used to be proud to be such.

Seeing this comment get downvoted and its parent upvoted with what I can only view as teenaged boys giggling over some smut, I see that there is no single, coherent community with a shared core of beliefs and standards. And maturity. It's a painful lesson.

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The OP was an honest reply, and it's a good reply. No point being a prude.

  Q. What do you do to relax?
  A. Play poker, masturbate and play with my cat.

What's the big deal here? All healthy fun activities to relax.

Then we disagree about what constitutes a "good reply". I won't convince you, you won't convince me, no point in discussing it further. I just think it's on par with children shouting "Bum!" at the top of their voices and thinking it's funny and clever.

Do you dispute that he answered the original question honestly and in a useful way?

The fact he added a small joke afterward just adds charm. Lighten up a little ;)

BUM!!!

To me it makes it HN feel that little bit less welcoming. I may be being over-sensitive, but it makes me feel like I'm eavesdropping on a conversation I wasn't supposed to be part of.

Although, heck, maybe he talks about masturbating in front of girls the whole time.

> "Although, heck, maybe he talks about masturbating in front of girls the whole time."

To be fair, I don't know any guy that doesn't, while in the presence of women, talk about masturbating.

Though I want to make it abundantly clear that I am not defending him from downvotes or suggesting people upvote him (I didn't).

Like in the gym changing room there are three levels of maturity:

1. Giggling 2. Prudishness 3. Maturity

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