[gnad_sucks]

> Please don't post insinuations about astroturfing, shilling, bots, brigading, foreign agents and the like.

I think he's referring to this. Indeed, there's nothing wrong with asking questions. I imagine that "you're only asking questions" is a reference to an usual technique of conspiracy theorists of pretending they're just asking questions to defend against being called out on baseless accusations. "Are they putting something in the water that's making the frogs gay? I'm just asking questions".

We don't know the intent here, but I agree with him that "something doesn't add up" could be an insinuation of conspiracy theory, and so against the guidelines.

[13of40]

I read that as "don't accuse other HN users of being shills" not "you can't say this news article seems a little suspect".

[gnad_sucks]

I agree the two are different in some respects; at the same time I think the idea that baseless insinuations undermine the conversation works just as well towards news articles as towards HN users.

[LarryMullins]

That rule bans exactly what he's doing, accusing people of "just asking questions" in the derogatory sense.

[aww_dang]

I'm amazed at the gymnastics possible with such an innocuous phrase. It is almost perverse. Imagine trying to parse this out starting from a position of good faith.

[gnad_sucks]

You think I'm not in good faith - that's fine.

But surely you have to concede that "I'm just asking questions" make it really easy to insinuate without directly stating, yes?

[aww_dang]

I'm just admiring the twists here, trying to understand and appreciate the gymnastic talent involved.

The triple handspring is when you insinuate that users of that phrase must be insinuating. Perfect 10 - 10 - 10 - 10 Olympic finish is when it is all done out of an abundance of paranoia.

I thought the conspiracy theorists were the paranoid and deranged ones, which is why we didn't want their unfounded and nutty comments? Apparently there is a conspiracy theorist lurking behind every tree, bush and use of, "I'm just asking questions".

Surely you have to concede with that logic there must be innumerable other phrases, trees and bushes that we haven't yet discovered?

I propose that we form a committee so that we may ensure the safety of our fragile establishment views from this menace.

Or maybe we could just skip it and engage with comments at face value, in good faith. Maybe he said just what he said? Don't know about you, but I'm a terrible psychoanalyst. Nor do I have time to go deep on every turn of phrase on the Internet.

[gnad_sucks]

I understand where you're coming from. You're just asking questions.