alt Hacker NewsCommunity members are a finite resource. Moderators are a downright scare resource.
When you let people spew hateful things you drive away the people you want in the community and are left with a toxic cesspool that no one wants to visit. Your moderators will burn out and leave as well. That's a very reliable way for your space to die.
Then there's the fact that it takes far more energy to refute bullshit than to spew it, and this asymmetry means that "just let them speak" means the toxic liars win.
> Moderators are a downright scare resource.
if you restrict moderation to stuff like gore and porn, then you don't need that many moderators.
> When you let people spew hateful things you drive away the people you want in the community
can't people just unfollow or block others whose opinions they don't want to see?
> Then there's the fact that it takes far more energy to refute bullshit than to spew it
there is no obligation to refute bullshit to begin with. it's a personal choice about how to spend your time.
> and this asymmetry means that "just let them speak" means the toxic liars win.
what's there to win? there is nothing to win for anybody. there's only something to lose and that's time.