Actually there was more business-oriented boosterism when we first launched. The site was called "Startup News" initially.
The top stories don't seem visibly worse than they were in the good old days, whenever those were. There are more dumb and/or mean comments than there used to be, but they usually end up at the bottom of the page.
You seem to understand this, but it's hardly that I'm advocating tolerance for dumb/mean commentary, but rather galled by the hostility towards healthy skepticism.
We probably agree more than we don't. I might as well drop this albatross since I don't have any real conclusions to draw or ideas to advocate.
The top stories don't seem visibly worse than they were in the good old days, whenever those were. There are more dumb and/or mean comments than there used to be, but they usually end up at the bottom of the page.