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There's a user who's been posting pointless, off topic comments where I post genuine questions.

Yesterday they chose to necropost on a 3 years and 4 months old question of mine, in a clear attempt to start a comments war over something that had nothing to do with what I asked proper. They also acted unfriendly and out of the blue began flaming at the comments. To me they seemed like infringing the code of conduct in several ways, so I flagged all of their comments and they all got removed.

At around the same time they came to my newly asked question, specifically, a word request: What's the word for someone who takes a conceited stance in stead of their bosses in order to appear important?

Although in a milder tone, the attitude here seems the same: trying to discredit whatever I gave as an example and trying to drag me into an argument. It started with a comment on my question, then an answer. As I ignored them, another comment along the same lines on their own answer, then another, then another.

I flagged their answer as not being an answer and it was not removed.

I think it should be, since for 2 reasons I see it clear that it's not an answer to my question and was never meant to be, namely:

  1. They altogether avoided the central point of my question, clearly trying to discredit the situation I used as an illustration rather than trying to provide a solution to my doubt.
  2. They clearly write as if attempting provocation, intent on me answering/getting angry so as to start a fight

You mods may not see it like that, but that's exactly how they started a war at my other question's comment section.

I personally think SE is not a place for such attitudes, but rather a curated knowledge repository. Just check my other profiles on the network and see I only come here with genuine questions that, if answered, I earnestly think will produce genuine knowledge.

These stupid quarrels and off-topic provocations belong in Reddit, not here. Allowing people, especially an older and supposedly experienced user to keep going on posting such, not only encourages their behaviour but overall contributes to a decrease in standards within the community.

Besides, I feel it's not just to keep that on, i've been called out for much less on SE and in my eyes this answer clearly violated the code of conduct, no so much by it's content (which is irrelevant anyways, as it does not answer the question), but by tone and intent expressed. Namely, starting a quarrel.

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    Disengage. Disengage. Disengage.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:06
  • @Mari-LouA I've been ignoring the person and didn't answer anything they posted on this last question. Still I feel those should be removed, they've been twisting the perspective and trying to drag other people who so far gave good answers into thinking there's something wrong with my question.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:08
  • Likewise, I read the edits etc. you did in the question, and you shouldn't feel offended by someone who is only doing their job. Brush it off.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:08
  • The answer you complain of does not breach the code of conduct.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:11
  • @Mari-LouA the answer per se may not breach the code of conduct depending on how you see it. I see it like that due to the tone being one of provocation. Idk if you're a mod, but if you are you maybe can see their comments who got removed yesterday. It's the sama type of attitude, provocation as a means of derailing the discussion.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:14
  • Mods have diamonds attached to their names.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:16
  • @Mari-LouA Even then, THAT'S NOT REASON I FLAGGED IT. The answer does not relate to what was asked at all, and there's a specific flag to remove those, and the flag was declined, and that's why I ask it to be reviewed.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:16
  • and in my eyes this answer clearly violated the code of conduct, no[t] so much by it's content (which is irrelevant anyways, as it does not answer the question), but by tone and intent expressed.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:18
  • @Mari-LouA btw, now addressing the offence part. In fact, I felt the need to do those both those edits because of how that person has been bringing off-topic considerations into the discussion. Before they came in everyone was just answering the question. Once they came in people showed concerns about the context and I had to clarify it. Twice. You see how the reddit mentality is counter productive herein? That's all I'm trying to get rectified. There was no need for those 2 edits if people focues on providing answers to the question.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:19
  • @Mari-LouA what's your point? That's indeed what I think, but the flag option I chose was not that. Only I and the mods can see what I chose as a flag. That was the secondary reason why it should be removed, the primary one is: it does not answer the question, and there's flag to specifically remove those.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:21
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:22
  • I'd wait for the mod to post an answer that explains why they rejected the flag. You might have to wait a bit, real life and time zone difference etc. I hope the issue gets settled quickly, it should do.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:24
  • @Mari-LouA Yeah, good suggestion, thanks.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 7:26
  • As a side note, "Not an answer" wasn't the correct flag. It would have been better to flag for moderator attention and explain your concerns. There is more information on not an answer flags on Meta.
    – ColleenV
    Jan 19, 2021 at 13:24
  • @ColleenV I think it's a question of interpretation. I know the post you linked, have read it again to make sure, and still think that was an appropriate flag to use. But again, perspectives come into play.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 14:42

1 Answer 1

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To answer the immediate issue, I declined your Not An Answer flag because I judged there was no evidence to support that conclusion. The answer is an answer. It's OK for an answer to challenge the premise of the question, or to answer part of it. See the MSE posts on this flag.

You may not like the answer. That's fine; you don't have to accept that one. You can even downvote it.

I might be wrong, and raising a Meta post is fine. Another moderator will take another look, although there may be timezones to consider. It's possible the answer will be removed; it's possible it won't be.

You are quite right that Stack Exchange is not a place for quarrels. The first rule of apparently being targeted is If you feel you're being goaded, don't rise to it. However, moderators will look into all reports of bad behaviour, including here. You may not see what actions are or are not taken: we don't make interactions between moderators and users public — except where a user raises a concern, as you have here, in which case our interaction with you needs to be made public to answer the concern; or where the result is a suspension (and even then, the reason given for suspension is couched in rather general terms).

As has been said in the comments, Real Life has to take precedence; and in interactions between users and within the moderator team (yes, we do use chat to talk to each other), timezones also come into play.

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  • It's okay, I think yours is a sensible answer.
    – Otter
    Jan 19, 2021 at 14:38
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    Supplementary questions (whether about answers or questions) is not what comments are for. If you don't like a question, move on; vote if you want to. Similarly with answers.
    – Andrew Leach Mod
    Jan 19, 2021 at 21:07

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