Hacker News Reader

Comment by howunfortunate | Hacker News Reader

It's a very ugly thing about political polarization. It's easier to destroy than to build, and both sides seem gleeful about tearing down whatever is (rightfully or not) perceived to be aligned with the 'other'.

The reaction to Charlie Kirk's murder (not even the murder itself, but the celebration of it) made it the most shocking political event for me personally, in my lifetime. And it seems like it might be like this from now on - ripping things apart, destroying lives, and then cheering about it.

View on HN

When Pinochet died, people threw parties in Chile. It's always been like this when things are taken to the extreme (and these days everything is extreme)

Did anyone aside from terminally online edgelords cheer for that though? I don't know that I saw anyone serious celebrating his death, certainly no members of congress. I do find it odd that the reaction from twitter and reddit bottom feeders (and the likes) stirred you so much. For me politicians actual vile comments and complete indifference to the assassination (or attempts) of state representatives and their families is much more disturbing than what people on some Sopranos meme subreddit had to say about Kirk - but perhaps the Hortman's were those 'others' you mentioned?

It's the volume that I found disturbing. There were Twitter posts celebrating or mocking Kirk's death, using images of his murder, with nearly 1MM likes, hours after he was killed. At the time, it was being reported his wife and toddler daughter had been in the audience (thankfully later revealed to not be true).

I haven't seen anything comparable for Hortman but if I had, I agree I would find those incredibly disturbing too.

I think with the kirk issue it was because most of the time when someone is killed for political reasons, they were the right kind of divisive. Kennedy killed over civil rights for example. Kirk though might be one of the few cases where someone who was inflammatory and the wrong kind of divisive was killed. For that, you can expect some dancing in the streets. Expect fireworks and a week of partying whenever Trump kicks the bucket.

gtfo of here with the Kirk BS, he was an awful person. Many in the USA cheer for literal wars, and you're tied up with Kirk. Tiny brain.

really? it was more shocking to you then Jan 6?

it was more shocking than when multiple state legislators were gunned down and the shooting was blamed by Trump on Marxists? Or when Rob Reiner was shot by his son and Trump implied he had it coming?

nobody is trying to tear down AI companies. but there is a general reaction to companies and their leaders who imply that 'risk to civilization is non zero', or they need unemployment is likely, while pushing for the state to backstop them.

This take fails on even the most basic reading.

Yes, absolutely, much more shocking.

Political riots and Trump being a scumbag are well integrated into my worldview.

My coworkers making gleeful cracks about a podcaster bleeding out in front of his toddler was new information for me. I didn't realize we were so far gone.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com