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If the goal of graying out was to prevent these comments from ever being read, why show them in the first place?

The goal, I think, was to reduce noise for the majority of users. If someone really wants to read a grayed out comment, they are entitled to do.

Seems to work just fine.

Sure there is! They provide good examples of what is not accepted here at HN so that bystanders know where the line is. Educating newcomers about what is acceptable is a very difficult thing to do in web communities, and examples (of both good and bad) are the best way.

Well, with respect to dang and his having admin rights and all, his opinion is not necessarily objective fact. Enforceable policy, perhaps, but not fact.

Would it not be better to allow people to make up their own minds about it than to make that choice more difficult?

"The majority"? What about the others? And anyway, who cares what dang thinks? :) (Hi dang!)