I think the big sticking point here (outside of the fact that most opponents of anonymity have something to gain by knowing our real identity) is that we put too much emphasis on "paying dues". We're used to having a "platform" (TV, radio, magazines, etc), and only the "best" people having access to that "platform", access being granted because of a long CV of past accomplishments. It is important to know that because you are right once, you aren't always right; people can get undeserved respect in this situation.
Now, with the Internet, everyone has a "platform". Everyone has ideas, and some of these ideas are good, despite them coming from unknown people. Steve Jobs still had a knack for design and business savvy before founding Apple, right? But we wouldn't know that. No one wants to filter through everything and think for themselves (the gatekeepers of the "platform" used to do that for us). We want to be able to point to a name and say "I agree with that person, because that person is great." How many stories get posted on HN just because of who wrote them? ahem Would HN care if someone else had said the same exact thing as Moot? Or is this just a gossip site and we only care what our celebrities have to say?
Anonymity puts everyone on a level playing field, and thus we actually have to evaluate everyone's ideas and think for ourselves which ones are good and which aren't - and there are too many out there to count because everyone has access to this "platform". We shouldn't care about who writes comments, we should care about the diamonds in the rough, because a good idea or a good comment is good, no matter who says it.
Now, with the Internet, everyone has a "platform". Everyone has ideas, and some of these ideas are good, despite them coming from unknown people. Steve Jobs still had a knack for design and business savvy before founding Apple, right? But we wouldn't know that. No one wants to filter through everything and think for themselves (the gatekeepers of the "platform" used to do that for us). We want to be able to point to a name and say "I agree with that person, because that person is great." How many stories get posted on HN just because of who wrote them? ahem Would HN care if someone else had said the same exact thing as Moot? Or is this just a gossip site and we only care what our celebrities have to say?
Anonymity puts everyone on a level playing field, and thus we actually have to evaluate everyone's ideas and think for ourselves which ones are good and which aren't - and there are too many out there to count because everyone has access to this "platform". We shouldn't care about who writes comments, we should care about the diamonds in the rough, because a good idea or a good comment is good, no matter who says it.