>I don't think YCombinator is doing brainwashing us or some crazy conspiracy

Try posting any kind of substantial critique of a YC company and see what happens to the submission.

This site is rather open and shameless about it's manipulation. YC companies get to post job ads that are instantly boosted to the front page and nobody can comment on. They have an official "second chance" queue to force boost posts that didn't receive the "correct" amount of organic attention.

If an individual is posting too many independent ideas they get re-educated by Dang or shadowbanned