I support this initiative to split sites. It seems overcomplex, but we need to try
something to evolve the site and ease its growing pains.
Maybe HN has the advantage of being connected to YCombinator, and thus has a reduced risk of this happening, but the risk is still there.
It's already happened. Even in tech discussions, we've got a whole shitload of snark even when it comes to mild topics. Topics with even a little drama, like the 37signals discussion over accepting VC, lead to people acting like high schoolers. I'm 19, and I read some of the comments people're leaving here, and I want to tell them to grow up. That's a really, really, really bad sign for a community, when adults are acting like n00bs.
When it comes to off-topic stuff, I realize each and every time that the majority of people here don't know what the hell they're saying. When people start talking about relationships, or drug use, or politics, whatever, most comments are inane and wrong. Look at the Nobel conversation right now. People are going nuts and dissing the committee at every chance they can get, calling it a disgrace, etc., because apparently they've never looked at the Nobel prize before. They're also assuming that the gut reactions of people hours after an announcement determine how a political game is going to be played. It's frighteningly immature, assuming these people are all allowed to vote based on their shallow opinions.
Every week I grow more and more disgusted with this community. I stick around because the few dozen voices that are smart are really worth having discussions with, and I love still being able to discuss certain topics and learn from people who know more than I do, but I'm starting to agree with the general rest-of-the-Internet consensus that people here have their heads stuck deep up their asses. Every time I defend this place somewhere I realize I don't believe what I'm saying. I'd like to fix that, because there are precious few places left to jump from here.