To quote all of the "don't submit" from HN guidelines:
Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, or celebrities, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic.
The definition of "interesting new phenomenon" has room for variance in interpretation, but the sentence following really scopes that down.
So, yes, participation is optional; however, if moderation can't keep it under control, HN will suffer, badly.
Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, or celebrities, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic.
The definition of "interesting new phenomenon" has room for variance in interpretation, but the sentence following really scopes that down.
So, yes, participation is optional; however, if moderation can't keep it under control, HN will suffer, badly.