Hacker News Reader

Society would certainly be better without people who judge others by their market value.

Yes, but would also be better if everybody got a free pony with supplies for life or met true love, etc.

Is it your contention that the vast majority of people only value others in terms of their economic value?

My contention, which I stated quite clearly is that saying otherwise while not paying them, not giving them work, etc, and leaving them to rot, is an empty platitude.

"Go die homeless, but remember, you have intrisic value just for being human".

Fully agreed.

Why does saying "humans have intrinsic value" put an obligation on a person to entirely fix society's problems? It's a really walrus-y "so you critique society yet participate in it, huh, curious" way to engage with the question. "Oh, if you think humans are so great, why haven't you helped every human?" just dodges the point the original article is making.

I think insinuating that OP is engaging in empty platitudes because they expressed a hopeful philosophical position rather than a cynical one is reading their work in bad faith.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com