Wow, what a great observation. I have this weird anxiety about posting comments on HN that I don't feel anywhere else on the internet. The flip side, though, is when people upvote my comments the feeling of reward is significantly more satisfying. It's like, "These other smart people valued my contribution, yay!" When I get down voted I feel like a real heel. On disqus I've sometimes felt so dominant in threads that it was just disheartening.
This is in contrast to IRL social life, where I dislike the feeling of being seen as a know-it-all, so I pursue laughs much more intently. It's the immediate feedback during interactions that I love/crave.
This is in contrast to IRL social life, where I dislike the feeling of being seen as a know-it-all, so I pursue laughs much more intently. It's the immediate feedback during interactions that I love/crave.