HN has the distinct privilege of not giving a single iota about traffic. That’s one of the things I like most about the site, a complete lack of monetization. It’s pure in this sense.
Other than it being run by, and on behalf of, a SV startup accelerator, and being part of the SEO strategy for any number of startups and wantrepreneurs, and many posts (particularly in Show HN) being thinly veiled attempts at advertising, building hype or just trying to get money-senpai to notice them.
Other than that, sure.
Only the rank relative to other web sites has dipped,
If that was true, HN wouldn't exist.
> That’s one of the things I like most about the site, a complete lack of monetization.
But jobs are advertised here.
> It’s pure in this sense.
It's better than most, but it certainly isn't pure.