No one reading the piece in the first place wants to be left alone. If you wanted that, you wouldn't say to yourself "I wonder what this guy has to say" and then click his thing.
I read and leave comments on Hacker News for two reasons: I want to know I'm not alone, I want to be helpful.
This misses the point completely? Wanting to know that you're not alone and wanting to be left alone are completely different, despite the word choice. Surely you realize this. Saying that "I prefer to avoid unsolicited harassment from corporate interests" is hardly the same as saying "I'm an unapologetic misanthrope".
No one reading the piece in the first place wants to be left alone. If you wanted that, you wouldn't say to yourself "I wonder what this guy has to say" and then click his thing.
I read and leave comments on Hacker News for two reasons: I want to know I'm not alone, I want to be helpful.