"but at the risk of getting hell-banned or massively 
    down voted your response came across as being unhelpful
    and rude, if it had been someone else making the
    comment they would likely have been down voted for it,
    or at the very least treat with indignation and
    ignored"

What? When did it come to this?

Has HN become a Reddit-style circle-jerk, increasingly elbowing out all dissenting opinions even when they are sensibly argued and corroborated with plentiful facts?

When did karma war chests become purses for silencing or pariah-izing, differing or even polarizing thoughts?

I have always thought you had to reason your way to the proverbial top of the heap of consensus-seeking opinions.

Not carpet-bomb your way to it.

Legitimate big wig or a green horn. Same credo.

In fact "thought leaders" should invite criticism and discourage herdism.

This is a disquieting trend.

If you can't rationally present your case or think a curt one-liner will do since your tech peerage will add some pedigree to an otherwise lousy and hollow argument, you should go elsewhere.

This should be a default understanding among all civil discussion online.

Unfortunately we live in a hyper-partisan era where discord is detrimental. A prevailing view that directly contrasts yours is a dent in your sense of self-worth.

HN should strive to be exemplary in this regard.