At a certain level we all should ditch companies for giving these monstrous coding challenges or they'll probably never learn. E.g. I think it's ridiculous to let people write code when applying to Senior Developer or even worse Software Architect positions. If you can't find out otherwise if the person is a fit or not you're doing it wrong.
> Would you say BLM bandits and looters are lacking in empathy when they are destroying small business?
You mean, the boogaloo bandits and looters? Because as much as people keep talking about BLM, the ones I see charged with actual personal and property violence in and around the protests are associated with the boogaloo movement and other right-wing (white-wing?) groups.
> Or is that fine because some 160 years ago some black dude in Africa sold his countrymen into slavery?
There's nothing stupider I've heard in quite a long time — and with Trump in office and his statements getting constant visibility because of that it's saying a lot — than trying to pretend white people had nothing to do with the institutionalization of slavery and racist policy more generally in America, and that it was all a product of some “black dude in Africa”.
HN is intended for technology news and discussions. Allowing social justice, and identity politics to take over has diluted its usefulness. Empathy has nothing to do with it, it's more like commenters appear frustrated over the constant non-technology issues.
The particular themes that show up have changed, of course, but that's because of macro trends in society at large. HN can't expect to be immune from those.
