Just accept that some people want to discuss things other than computers and startups from time to time.
There was no tech in the story, no overlap.
Nowhere in there does it require "tech in the story."
You may not consider anything non tech-related to be interesting, but that isn't your decision to enforce on behalf of the community.
I'm usually in the thread defending the unusual, non-tech posts. One of the most consequential reads of all time, for me, was a personal blog posted by Paul Buccheit about the death of his brother.
I'm all about the intellectual curiosity aspect, so you read me wrong.
The Venezuela story that is/was near the top of the front page is just pure politics. There's nothing else it brings.
I'm not policing or enforcing things on behalf of the community, no need to be a smarmy jerk. I'm presenting my arguments just like you are. Thanks for the lesson, Chad.
Here are some comments by dang clarifying the matter.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43142682
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43272671
Who tf is Chad?
The OP is talking about the Venezuela story on the front page. It's not a good example of what you're talking about.
No guideline will divert a determined, thundering herd.
We are what we do, and it appears we do care about the world beyond our immediate technical interests.
Special occasion. Exception to prove the rule.
[EDIT] I just realized, I'd already added some tech into the otherwise political discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46476424
I still would rather not see it here. I get my fill of politics elsewhere.
I get why folks saying "if you don't like it don't read it" feels jerky, but "if you don't like it, don't participate in it" seems pretty reasonable, I'd think.
I think the non-political threads are where HN shines, and I believe in playing to your strengths. This is a wonderful place where subject-matter experts come crawling out to give you wonderful, deep knowledge about some esoteric discussion on the regular.
We don't get political experts here as often, and the average political commentary on this site probably rivals...well, the rest of the internet.
But while we're rooting around in the mud, I might join in. And I'm okay with occasional politics, I just wish it didn't get enough upvotes to make random political stories the front-page news here. In the past, much bigger stories either didn't make the front page, or were moderated--I'm not sure which.
Anyway, I'm not really complaining here about the moderation, either. I think they do a great job. I can live with the amount of politics we have here, I just hope it doesn't increase.