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Comment by EmilyHughes | Hacker News Reader

Why does everything have to be some kind "porn" nowadays. Does anybody seriously think this is funny?

Does everything nowadays? I think the analogy to porn at least here is fitting. The idea porn as a word to mean "of no substance, for easy consummation, from morally questionable sources, to make a quick buck off desperate people" quite accurately describes all these "insight gurus", which to me are grifters.

That's not what it means. Look at subreddits like /r/historyporn or /r/earthporn. These do not mean porn in any kind of derogatory sense. It literally means nothing more specific than "lots of content that people like". It really does not carry a derogatory connotation, or at least it is most widely used in positive ways

> It literally means nothing more specific than "lots of content that people like".

I think it's a bit more than that, something like: "lots of content that people like and will waste a ton of time consuming for little hits of dopamine".

There is nothing on the subreddit that indicates that anyone considers it a waste of time to consume content there

You're right, I wasn't aware of that usage. Another reason to keep avoiding Reddit like the plague.

I suspect we use 'porn' as a shorthand for 'hypernormal stimuli' and I suspect we have so much of it because humans have fewer evolved defenses against manipulation by hypernormal stimuli on the internet.

Well, car magazines were there before the internet. I still buy one. I've always called them "car porn".

https://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn/

Like all things vulgar, they catch on. I dislike it too but it somehow fits the bill just like the original meaning of the word: we’re seeking something and instead we get pseudosomething that leaves us unfullfilled and almost worse off

I agree, I really don't like the turn of phrase. It's kinda gross.

Well, good: Then it works kind of like a warning, too. Tells that this shit is kind of icky.

Because it fits the meaning of what he is trying to convey. Porn, is immediate gratification that makes you feel good at the moment, but doesn't really satisfy the deeper needs you might have.

Porn is sexy things for sexual gratification.

There, I said it. It's not a pretty mountain top sunset. It's not kittens playing. It's not useless self-help articles.

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