Our community has a group of people that seem to resort to insults and then hide behind the idea of just being frank and accurately describing the situation.Merriam-Webster wrote:Disingenuous:
Pronunciation: \ˌdis-in-ˈjen-yə-wəs, -yü-əs-\
Function: adjective
Date: 1655
: lacking in candor; also : giving a false appearance of simple frankness : calculating
I decided this is one of the problems I have had trouble defining and that is prevalent and growing in the community.
I challenge when I think that is what is going on. But, it can be hard to know. The person could be a child or one with a mental challenge.
Also, this level of insulting is subtle. It seems like making a moderator call and reporting it is over kill.
I think a response is needed, otherwise the one engaging in the behavior will think it is acceptable.
AS a forum member knowing when to respond is a challenge. One needs to consider whether the person is for real or not. I think it is important to know if they are a disabled or otherwise challenged person. We have people with Asperger's, ADD, Autism, and those with various impaired cognitive functions. Even in those cases, some response is needed.
Also there are groups of people that lack social skills. They may not realize how they come across. Software geeks and engineers tend to fall into that group. There is a theory that engineering schools being mostly male deprived students of opportunities to learn social skills picked up in schools with a more co-ed balanced schools. Some say that applies to software and other related schools. Whether that is true or not... our community might be used to support that idea. But, does one not challenge the socially inept? How will they ever learn.
Where in the process of challenging veiled insults a does a moderator come in?
Does one define such a thing in rules and guidelines? I would think so, if for no other reason than to provide a moderator a tool in the event they do step in.