That's it. Our instance requires us to stop responding if you explicitly ask us to. It's right here buried in our Code of Conduct
Any discussions may be opted out of by disengaging.
In the past, this rule has only applied to the specific user you say it to. I'd like to suggest going forward that if someone on another instance uses it, we treat it as applying to all of us.
Unfortunately this rule wasn't communicated clearly before, so I'm making this post for visibility.
Edit: As the comments clarify, this has to be done in good faith, typically just a one word "disengage" comment. If you add more stuff to the discussion and then say "disengage" at the end, you're not disengaging, it's a way to put a stop to a toxic argument not to get the last word in.
I've used it and it was enforced. I used it once a couple of years ago when a heated arguement suddenly swerved into very personal territory. Not just because I didn't have time for that, but also because the other poster was a comrade who was obviously having a bad time, stuck in a rage, and couldn't stop themselves (multiple replies without my response etc).
I don't have a problem with looking at it again if the influx of new users (from here or other instances) creates a lot of misuse or has a detrimental effect though. I have even more mixed feelings about doing it voluntarily on other instances however and I agree that occassionally looking at rules and revising them especially as we transition further into (or excluded from) federation makes sence.