> he doesn't go out of his way to avoid these controversies.

Science journalist covering the science of perhaps the most salient social issue of our time?

Don't get me wrong -- there are other really important stories which aren't being covered as well as they should be, but Singal's beat would seem to be at least as important as... most anything linked from HN on a daily basis.

> People who vocally wish he was less influential would do well to remember how much juice they've been giving him.

I totally agree. By turning Singal into a boogeyman he almost certainly isn't, people are only feeding his social and journalistic capital. Singal is just someone who disagrees with you (in that classically liberal 90s American sense). Efforts to cancel or ban him have made some look like they don't have actual arguments to contribute.

That's how Singal makes those with opposing views look ridiculous.