I think this analogy is flawed - the hn equivalent of posting is the same as Reddit and then it changes and gets weird if hn starts selling your writing.

I'm not sure why folks are trying to say that going to Reddit and doing activity where the price of admission is ads is the same as doing activity where the price of admission is they own your writing and sell it. You may be fine with it but they seem clearly distinct to me -- enough to be worth talking about instead of dismissing.