You're not wrong, but you're overlooking the cultural normalcy. When you have something to sell, you're allowed to lie until you're blue in the face and nobody even blinks. But when applicants merely demonstrate how well they understood and internalized that state of affairs, it's fraud. None of this is OK in my book but it's hypocritical to single out job applicants when the whole culture is like that.
1. That still doesn't make it okay.
2. No, you're not allowed to lie until blue in the face when selling; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_advertising is illegal. (Is it underunforced? Probably. Do I wish those laws had much stronger restrictions and harsher penalties? Yep. But is it illegal to lie to sell things? Still yes.)
(IANAL and this isn't legal advice. Though it is moral advice.)
I'm responding to a post on Hacker News, not writing the complete history of morality and culture.
I agree that lying and fraud by businesses, employees, buyers, and sellers are all reprehensible. Nonetheless, I would contend there's no problem discussing the actual subject at hand without expanding it.
I'm not being hypocritical, I'm simply being topical.
It’s really simple. Don't lie or cheat and don’t abide those who do.
As a software development manager, I find the most important quality I need in my direct reports is honesty. If you are not honest with me it makes it very difficult to do my job.
That some developers have been conditioned to dishonesty is a shame on our industry.