I think that people are up in arms about deflection. Some of us (myself especially) tried to deflect some of the anger in certain
threads by being a bit silly. I guess it upset some other people now.....and on and on the forum drama goes.
Deflection is a common form of dealing with other's angry feelings. And it works...that's why I have used it for so long.
My psychiatrist can't stop me from doing it and I suppose that a few people slapping my hand in a forum won't stop me either. It's my codependent personality. That's what I am blaming it on.
5. deflection - a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern); "a diversion from the main highway"; "a digression into irrelevant details"; "a deflection from his goal"
digression, divagation, diversion, deflexion, deviation
turning, turn - the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course; "he took a turn to the right"
red herring - any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue