No one is going to be happy about what I'm about to point out, but reap what you sow HN. This is directly and fully as a result of 1. the current (terrible) set of rules and 2. Dang being a moderator (and this communities unending fawning over his moderation)

Fix both of these, and HN would have far fewer issues related to what you are describing.

All other explanations of this phenomenon which don't talk about the above two are not even close to on point.