You're right. A corollary is that gratuitous negativity is largely unintentional. That's why we're asking community members to be more active in gently reminding each other when the line is being crossed. Gently!

What line? It's so bloody arbitrary as to be a useless guideline. It's about as meaningful as 'be nice'.

Virtually all communication is open to interpretation. Focus on what you know. Can you tell the difference between constructive criticism and destructive criticism? Can you appreciate the difference in motives? If you can, then you'll basically know everything you need to know in order to understand what's being asked for.

Be nice is a good guideline. I try to be nice.