Ask HN: What is something you deeply care about?

Freedom of computing/information, i.e. having ability to control computer hardware from software as one wishes. Windows and macOS + driver systems are not anymore allowing this freedom, so on the software-side Linux is our only hope as of 2025.

Coral reefs.

They cover less than 0.1% of the ocean floor yet support approx. 25% of all marine species.

They are very beautiful indeed.

They provide coastal protection.

Also, they will be gone in a few decades.

Quality user experience in things that are core functions of use, and specifically them not getting bogged down (or potentially “bricked” by) the need for luxury, or ads, or ease of use.

In a car, the driver seat should, in my mind, be manually adjusted. Why? Because if the motor breaks because it has to adjust each time you sit down, and the last person to use the car is my mother or girlfriend, I literally cannot drive my car until it gets fixed because I am too tall.

But something like heated/cooled seats is perfectly fine to have as a luxury, because if my seat cooler fan breaks, I just have a sweaty back as if I didn’t have a seat cooler.

Same with manual transmissions: if I ever have my transmission start acting up and I don’t have the money to bring my car to the shop, I could probably fix it, albeit with a lot of difficulty and cursing. But an automatic? No way in hell.

Plus, my manual lasts longer, stays cooler, tows more, is more fun, provides more control, keeps me more aware and focused while driving, and is a theft deterrent.

You can apply this logic to anything: if the object becomes useless without it, it should be as basic, durable, strong, resilient, and/or foolproof as possible, but when the object would not break without it, it can have as much luxury as desired.

The internet as an open and interoperable space for end users

Knowledge as understanding, embodiment, and wisdom.

Consent and respect. Kindness as the default.

Care beyond the transactional.

Art as an expression, healing, experience.

Awareness and reasoning beyond thinking and analysis.

I love this question. My answer is Beauty. we are surrounded by ugliness and it pains me. almost everything could be made more beautiful.

Personal accountability

Life. All life. Though, mosquitos, bacteria, and parasites are a struggle.

Also, I try constantly to be a better father and husband. This too is challenging.

Doing good and making the world a better place, finding love, having good relationships with friends and family, solving interesting problems, intellectual growth

Math and kindness

A lost cause for the most part, communication. Seems like most of what passes for communication these days is one way; what can I get out of it? how can I use this? do I agree or disagree? do I like this? what does this say about me? etc? etc? etc?. These days, people love to blame this sort of narcissism on the internet but things were not much different in the 80s, it was just easier to believe there was something better, we still had our ignorance.

Kindness. Be kind to your colleagues. To your friends. To your family.

And that will show in your product. It will be kind to your users and customers.

My parents, pets, and friends.

- My wife

- My kids

- My family

- My house

- Empathy

- Kindness

- Equality

- Usability

- Design / beauty

Every problem stems from roughly half the population fearing the idea of people and practices that are different from their own. It feels like addressing any other problem is palliative. There has to be a way to improve this.

Interactions.

You, me, them over there