Code reviews fly around our team without any trace of vitriol or insults, even when the mistakes are mindnumbling stupid or disagreement on approach is strong.

Code reviews fly around our team without any trace of vitriol or insults, even when the mistakes are mindnumbling stupid or disagreement on approach is strong. You don't have to be insulting to maintain code quality. If insults are the only way you can make your point, you've got some way bigger personal issues to deal with. The thing is, being insulting is largely counterproductive. Even where the best response from the person being insulted is that they shrug it off, it still modifies the relationship and attitudes towards the insulter.