Unfortunately, "guidelines" can also be weaponized as something that's optional, something subject to exceptions, leading to so many exceptions that the guideli

Unfortunately, "guidelines" can also be weaponized as something that's optional, something subject to exceptions, leading to so many exceptions that the guidelines themselves are forgotten, and eventually outright ignored. Nevertheless, this is the term I've been using lately, mostly with a statement of guideline followed by its benefits or reasoning behind it. It is gentler and inoffensive to those who have tender sensibilities, thus enabling a productive embracement of the guidelines, a useful critic on them or an eventually better guideline, instead of inflamed egos inciting flamewars.