THC Science

This page is an official policy on the English Wikipedia.^[1] The concept expressed below is fundamental to the encyclopedia's operation. It has a long tradition^[2] and a deep and subtle meaning. Please consider this before editing the page. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

Shortcut

[[:|WP:IAR]]

The rules, as they are written, are so done with the intent to guide editors of this vast community in making proper decisions based on reasonable guidance. However, a rule is rarely meant to be absolute. If a you feel better decisions can be made, but they go against the rules or otherwise do not follow their stance, it is better to think of alternatives. These guidlelines are not meant to invoke slothfulness, or to otherwise override consensus.

If what you are doing is improving or maintaining Wikipedia, and the rules state otherwise, ignore them.

Controversy

Although a legitimate and essential guideline, controversy does exist. Laziness: Generally speaking, you are never improving Wikipedia in the aspect of being lazy. Always follow up your edits with a summary and explaination (if such is requested).

Consensus: Consensus is a major element of Wikipedia that cannot be ignored. Even if you feel without a doubt that you are improving Wikipedia, do not make decisions that go against a majority of people that are opposed to that decision you have made.

Being a dick: (see meta:Don't be a dick) Let us put it this way: don't be a dick. You may invoke Ignore all rules all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that you are a bigger dick because you have tried to excuse your dickful self by being a dick more by dicking around with a guidline that you shouldn't have been dicking with. So don't be a dick. Nobody likes them, and if you do, you are a dick.

Varying Viewpoints

Some people look at ignore all rules as the central policy; as the rule of all rules. Others however, may feel that ignore all rules is subjective, or that it only applies to small criteria and simple dilemas such as deleting a CSD that doesn't meet any criteria, but is obviously not improving Wikipedia in any shape or form.

What is the proper interpretation of this guideline?: Ignore all rules is exactly what is stated: "If the rules prevent you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore them. The problem that many people run into is consensus. If a majority of people agreed that something was good. The edit or change made was determined to be improvement, but the rules applied a level of controversy, then this majority is free to make the edit without worrying about these rules.