Interesting idea. I suppose hospitals should get rid of the clowns that entertain hospitalized children. I mean, they use humor to make them laugh. I suppose medical science should retract their findings that laughter can indeed heal, since humor obviously is a destructive force.

I don't mind if people don't want to upvote a joke. That is fine by me. But, we don't need to downvote them either.

I disagree with jokes being the catalyst which will change HN into Reddit or Digg. I don't think it is the comments that turn the worm, rather the quality of the bookmarks which are submitted. If the heart is true, the body will be also.