Disclosure - I created and own this site. But it's worth listing here because I know that it performs extremely well (conversions typically above 50%).
I'm obsessed with simplicity the design is really the natural conclusion of minimalism, i.e. virtually no design, nothing superfluous and a simple CTA.
The words are simple, but the choice to include the risky language is not 'simple', in that it's risky/innovative/uncomfortable/attention-grabbing (depending on viewer's perception). I guess a good word is 'unusual'.
I recall that just before I published the site, I decided to change the CTA from the boring placeholder I had to something more playful and human. It was the first thing that came to mind It just seemed like a fun idea. It worked so I kept it.
Reading your comment, I'm tempted to try something more conventional but it's too easy to be skewed by responding to a single data point. It's edgy so it's bound to be polarising (I've also received positive feedback on the very same text).
I might run a split-test to get some data on it.
I admire the boldness and as a Linguistics major I can confirm the craziness of the word, re: standing out, is way more valuable than any imagined revulsion that I may be assuming.
Best of luck.
Totally agree. And early data says you might be right.
I set up a split test on Optimizely with 2 more variations and both beat the control:
Control SEX UP MY INBOX 35% CTR
Variation 1 DISCOVER NEWSLETTERS 61% CTR
Variation 2 GET STARTED 58% CTR
Variation 1 is winning so far (74% lift, 79% significance). I'll keep it running because right now it's skewed toward HN traffic, and we're a weird bunch here - we seem to behave differently to everybody else
Anyway, thanks again for the feedback. Looks like you're onto something.