When is inactivity scummier than activity?

[mastin2]

Inactivity

is

always scummier than activity...that doesn't mean it's actually more likely to make you scum.

It depends on the cause of the inactivity. Inactive because of real life = null. And in a rational town, nobody's going to suspect you for it.
Inactive because of engagement elsewhere = potentially but not necessarily alignment-indicative; prod and poke about them to see what the cause is.

I generally go inactive in games because I feel a lack of need to engage--when scum, this'll be a sign my team is doing well; when town, this'll be a sign that I'm

not

doing well. Of course there's exceptions, but that's the general trend for me. However, I think this is largely player-dependent; using this same standard on someone else would be quite likely to fail.

[mastin2]

your definition of scummy is convoluted

No, it's quite simple.
Scummy = looks like scum.

Doesn't mean actually is scum.
Scummy-town is, "it looks bad, but is (probably) town".
Scummy-scum is, "it looks bad, because it is bad".

Inactivity is (almost) always going to make you more scummy than activity, but it can be scummy-town or scummy-scum scumminess.

As scum I sometimes go inactive when it's close to DL and the biggest wagon is on town and I don't dare to say anything because it might change stuff. I've found inactivity during deadline

where it's functional for scum to lurk

to be a decent scumtell. Not a great one, but definitely a scumtell.

So do I...thus, "I generally go inactive in games because I feel a lack of need to engage". (Which is saying the same thing, only generalized. The biggest wagon on town is an example of me feeling a lack of need to engage.)

[mastin2]

Scummy, anti-town, and scumtell have always been separate things.
Scummy is looking like scum.
Being anti-town is playing in a manner that is more beneficial to a non-town alignment.
A scumtell is something that is more likely to be from scum.

Your definition of scummy seems to blur the lines between the three.