It makes perfect sense and I think you are touching on something important about the natural evolution of any online community especially one that blends financial incentives with social interaction. When Stacker News first emerged the novelty of earning sats for thoughtful contributions naturally framed it as a value for value platform in the minds of many users. That framing worked really well when the culture was dominated by long form posts and deep engagement because the incentive translated directly into rewarding quality.

But as communities grow and shift their composition the culture inevitably changes. We start to see different modes of participation and different signals of value beyond strictly the quality of writing or insight. What you are describing now resonates with how peer to peer digital spaces often morph over time. Early adopters bring ideals and mission driven energy while later waves of users tend to integrate the platform into their daily online habits forming something closer to a communal third space.

The core mechanism of Stacker News using sats as a signal remains intact but the meaning of those signals can shift. In the early days a zap might have meant appreciation for intellectual rigor. Today it might mean connection resonance or even just a nod of recognition. That does not mean the platform has lost its essence rather it has broadened the spectrum of what constitutes value in its ecosystem.