Wikipedia:Alternatives to ignoring all rules
This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
Ignoring all rules is one of five pillars that encourages improving Wikipedia that might be prevented by a rule. However, this pillar may be potentially misunderstood. Ignoring all rules without understanding principles of existing rules and acknowledging that other rules exist may lead to more harm than good. Of course, other essays tell you that you may not need to but use common sense instead. Question: who else shares your sense?
The "ignore all rules" might be used as a last resort, but this would lead to potential bureaucracy. If you want to "ignore all rules", be certain that any rule prevents you from improving Wikipedia. Otherwise, best to avoid doing so.
For advice, if you do not believe that ignoring all rules help improve Wikipedia, you may do any of alternatives below:
- Read all five pillars, including "What Wikipedia is not."
- Read Wikipedia:policies and guidelines.
- Propose a rule change in project or wide discussion pages, like Wikipedia:Village pump.
- If a consensus disagrees with a change, please avoid proposing the same idea again.
- Go to a help desk to ask how to use or edit Wikipedia.
- Read about common sense. If you fully understand it, use it.
- Write another advice here if any of above is not enough...
- In other words, be bold and write an alternative here. However, please be careful about writing a wrong advice.