How has this answer not yet been shot down?

Question

On a recent question about reasoning the constant existence of ice-walls around a flat-earth there has been this one answer leading with upvotes:

As there is not scientific basis for anything like a flat earth, any explanation will do.

I´d go with: The Elephants, carrying your Earth-disc through space, fart magical freezing gases.

^{https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/126546/2746}

It reads like a comment with a bolted on cheap-let's-go-for-the-giggles answer so it can escape Not an Answer-Flags. And looking at it closely it really just seems to be a critique of the question, rather than a whole-hearted attempt of answering the given problem.

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If it is meant as a serious answer, then to my understanding it is coasting close to the Be Nice Policy, especially the point about:

Be nice.

Whether you've come to ask questions, or to generously share what you know, remember that we’re all here to learn, together. Be welcoming and patient, especially with those who may not know everything you do.

It doesn't even try to take the premise of the question seriously, but rather does down with it as something not worthy of receiving proper answers.

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If it is not meant as a serious answer (which is how I understand it), then it clearly clashes with the Answering Guidelines:

Answer the question

Read the question carefully. What, specifically, is the question asking for? Make sure your answer provides that – or a viable alternative. The answer can be “don’t do that”, but it should also include “try this instead”. Any answer that gets the asker going in the right direction is helpful, but do try to mention any limitations, assumptions or simplifications in your answer. Brevity is acceptable, but fuller explanations are better.

..and especially:

Answer well-asked questions

Not all questions can or should be answered here. Save yourself some frustration and avoid trying to answer questions which...

...are unclear or lacking specific details that can uniquely identify the problem.
...solicit opinions rather than facts.
...have already been asked and answered many times before.
...require too much guidance for you to answer in full, or request answers to multiple questions.
...are not about worldbuilding as defined in the help center.

If the answerer wants to imply that the question is bonkers, then why not VTC it instead of writing an unhelpful answer that mainly mocks the question and thus the querent?

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Another point speaking against the question not being answerable would be the very good and serious answer by Cort Ammon

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If the answerer is not happy with the amount of detail given by the querent, as can be understood from the first phrase of their answer, then they should instead comment on the question asking for clarification.

The comment history shows that the answerer did not request any such clarification so we have to assume that at least the first part of their 'answer' must indeed be an attempt to comment, using the answer button by accident(?)

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The Answerer has 2k+ rep at the time of this, mine, post. And subtracting the 80ish rep they got from 8 upvotes and a downvote still is near the 2k rep mark - that means they have should have been on the site long enough to not simply drop plain provocations. Which is why I move this issue to the meta..

Answer 1

I think it's important that we can answer with "anything goes." I've had a lot of questions where the reality is that the OP had no idea how much freedom there was in the idea they were exploring. It happens a lot with time travel, where people make the mistake of thinking that there is exactly one time travel theory. If you look through my history, I've written quite a few in that form (mostly about time travel, go figure)

They don't bother me as answers, though it does bug me when they crowd out the answers of people who are trying to get closer to an answer the OP wants to see. I like to see more helpful answers rise to the top. The helpfulness of the "anything goes" answers is limited unless you write them really well. When I'm doing my best, I try to answer these as "anything goes... but here's some direction you can use"

As of typing this, my answer is accepted, and has more upvotes than the answer in question, so I think the situation is resolved (disclaimer: I'm not biased... nope nope nope!)

Answer 2

My two cents: If "fries and ketchup" kind of answer actually is an acceptable answer, then question itself is problematic and should probably be closed - as seen in linked older meta discussion. It is one close vote from being closed already. Maybe we are not putting on hold fast enough?

Answer 3

Allow me to quote the well known little writing on investment and to apply it in the context of this community

Past performance is no guarantee of future results

None of the reputation (and moderation) privilege exempts the user from being subjected to community reviews and votes, and we all can take a false step (myself included) and post content which some can see as controversial.

In cases like this I would say that it's the community to have the power of deciding: you as user can respectfully comment, downvote and flag the post, and then let it follow the usual path.

Mind, it's not guaranteed that the outcome will be the desired one.

Answer 4

If not because it's unhelpful or almost insulting, the answer is invalid because it uses magic. The question clearly states "Is there any "possible" scientific way to have this kind of Ice wall?" To me, that is the equivalent of a science-based answer. The answer is essentially using an anything goes handwave when the OP specified that wasn't an option. This answer should be deleted because it does not follow the rules outlined by the OP. You can't use magic to explain science, and the answer doesn't even attempt to justify magical elephants as pseudo-science or string theory or whatever.

Answer 5

Let me start by quoting the answer being discussed:

As there is not scientific basis for anything like a flat earth, any explanation will do.

That should be all the discussion about it. Anything past that is beating on a dead horse - and I think I arrived here to see a horse corpse beaten past any recognition, but let me add my two kicks:

• Since there is no scientific answer anyway, it all boils down to speculation, and that answer is the shortest and simplest. It wins by Occam's razor. I am serious on this.

• Gases are able to take heat from other bodies, otherwise fire extinguishers would be way less efficient at best. If there are elephants under the flat earth whose flatulence is composed of gases that are colder than the Earth, or will react with it endothermically, then the rim of the disc will be constantly losing heat to space escaping gas. If you guys cannot understand that, go back to high school.

• Reputation has nothing to do with it. I have over 30k and the only reason I did not post that answer myself is because I got ninja'ed.

• Respect the will of the community. More people find that a good answer than a bad one.

• If you are offended by the answer, you need help, because some flat earthers, who have the fame you know they have, have already considered a similar model (giant beings holding the earth and cooling the rim with their breath).

Seriously, stop. If you don't like the answer, do like L.Dutch suggested and move on.