Maybe it's just me, but hostility and name-calling like this seems to have become more and more common on HN in the past couple of months or so.

I suspect that a couple months is too short a time frame to judge this—too prone to sample bias and normal fluctuation. But please keep flagging such comments when you see them. No one can read all the comments posted to HN, but we can and do read all the flagged ones.

In case anyone is wondering, the way you flag a comment is to click its timestamp to go to its page (a speed bump to prevent people from doing it impulsively), and then clicking 'flag' at the top. You need a small amount of karma (currently 31) before that link appears.

I wasn't aware sassafras was an actual insult - my dad used to call me that when I'd overreact.

This place is so fragile. I don't know how dang get's anything done.

The insult isn't in the word sassafras, of course, but in being supercilious in a discussion. The reason you shouldn't do that is not because this place is "fragile" but because it's a rude thing to do.

That's your interpretation - definitely not something I aim for.

We'll leave it there.

I'll try, you do what you need to do. I disagree that I was being rude but that's your call to make. Your job must be exhausting.

Bleh, I'm a blowhard. Just ignore me.