If a post is both thought provoking and off topic, I am in a quandary.

I found this thread interesting enough to want to see it exist, if only long enough so I can read it. So I rated it honestly. Had I been able to rate the posts off topic, yet thought provoking, I would have.

Were it merely off topic, I would rate it accordingly. In the context of the existing/ongoing thread, the posts were on topic.

I found the thread by way of the recent comments link on the front page. I had not read Mikey's ratings rules at the top of the article as a result.

Speaking of which, I have as much respect for the guidelines here as anyone else.

With all due respect, I will not be told by you or any other single person here where/how to respond to/post/rate comments here.

You have a mechanism here to ostensibly let my comments and ratings sink or swim by democratic consensus.