I think filters override follows. So if you follow one tag but filter another, and both are on the post, that post is filtered overall. If one tag is neutral and another is filtered, the post is filtered. You can also follow and filter people and websites, as well, so if, say, you filter BBC.com, but you follow me, and I post a link to a BBC article, you won't see it because the filter takes precedence over the follow. (Subject to correction by someone with more experience here than me.)also if i filter a tag and follow another and a post comes up tagged with both, what happens? what if it has a tag i neither follow nor fillter but another I do filter?
You are correct, the intent of the filters is to override everything else. We are still open to ideas on alternatives, but it's what's worked so far.