HN has definitely experienced a marked decline in quality over the last 15 years, (since the account I am currently posting from has existed,) I know this sort of remark is discouraged by the guidelines, but the trend is substantial enough that it cannot be ignored. I don't think users have any specific goal, but they are indeed posting the same inane drivel and joke comments as Reddit, notably including the classic (and idiotic) 'I mis-read/misunderstood the submission title X as Y hahah'.