The first line of your post is not necessary, and against HN guidelines. Your post doesn't need such either as it stands on its own. It only weakens your argument as an appeal to pity. Don't do that please.
Itβs totally necessary because HN is predictable as clock work to downvote when you insinuate the liberal standard has flaws, the biggest of which is the inability to be critical of themselves without instinctively reacting to inflict pain (downvoting)
With all due respect, that appeal to pity only weakens the argument of his post is read from a persuasive writing perspective. However, in viewing this post in an exchange of ideas, it carries necessary information. OP cites the unpopularity not as an appeal to pity but as an expression of ideas. To require all posts adhere to a framework of persuasion is unnecessary speech censorship.