Board Thread:Suggestions/@comment-25995065-20150318022906

I think it would be good for this wiki to implement a "Use common sense" or "Ignore all rules" policy like many other wikis. This is a common policy across wikis, and essentially means do what you think is smartest and most beneficial, even if it isn't in the rules or if it interferes with a rule. Why do I say this wiki should have this policy? Well, it's important to remember that wiki policies are just guidelines on how things should/shouldn't be on the wiki. Even if something may conflict with a policy doesn't mean that it's a bad thing for the wiki, and thus the policy doesn't need to be enforced in those situations. Enforcement of policy is more specifically enforcing the purpose of the policy. If something doesn't negatively effect the wiki, then it doesn't interfere with the purpose of policy. As it stands right now however, users blindly enforce policies whether or not something is a problem, which doesn't aid in protecting the purpose of the policy.

Another issue why I think a "Use common sense" policy would be beneficial is that where users blindly enforce the policy. It's important to use common sense when enforcing policy.

More times than not, I see a problem be created where there was originally no problem because some user, moderator or not, attempts to enforce a policy when no abuse or disruption took place, and where the purpose of the policy was never broken. Policies are meant to prevent problems, not create problems, so enforcing a policy when it's not necessary to do so is just troublesome.

At the same time, a Use Common Sense or Ignore All Rules policy is not to be used to excuse actions that are disruptive or abusive, in chat or on the wiki. Using a UCS/IAR policy to excuse these kinds of actions is gaming the system (WP:GAME, RS:GTS), and should be considered an additional policy violation.

For reference, here are similar policies on other wikis:
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ignore_all_rules
 * http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/RuneScape:Use_common_sense
 * http://en.brickimedia.org/wiki/Brickipedia:Use_Common_Sense
 * http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Avatar_Wiki:Ignore_all_rules
 * http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Call_of_Duty_Wiki:Ignore_all_rules
 * http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Half-Life_Wiki:Ignore_all_rules
 * http://reddead.wikia.com/wiki/Red_Dead_Wiki:Ignore_All_Rules
 * http://crysis.wikia.com/wiki/Crysis_Wiki:Ignore_all_rules
 * http://futurama.wikia.com/wiki/Futurama_Wiki:Ignore_All_Rules

Additionally, this essay is a very good read, and one of its points I would like to emphasize here. You are not required to learn the rules before contributing. In an ideal situation, any user who uses common sense should be able to come into this community and contribute or chat naturally without having to even read the rules. Using common sense should allow for them to get along just fine and no issues should arise. However, with some users who are bound to enforce policies blindly, such as accusing people of being dupes or having zero-tolerance to their harmless mistakes. Even if something may be against the policy, they don't need to be warned or kicked for it if it causes no disruption or abuse. They can simply be made aware of the policy and be asked to be careful about those things in the future. It's a much more peaceful and happier environment to be in.

Another good read is this short essay, which essentially states that in order to build a better community and form more appropriate/successful policies, the policies can't always be followed. Periodically I've seen users discussing a problem they see in a policy here and are eventually told to drop the conversation for one reason or another. Being told to drop it solves nothing, whether or not the discussion is argumentative or against the rules. If a user sees a problem in the rules, then it should be discussed, because chances are there's room to improve it. Things such as the word filter come to mind here. When a user says "why do we block the word ______", that's not them trying to abuse the policy, but asking for reasoning behind the policy. You can't expect to discuss improvements to the word filter without using those words in the discussion, and even though using them is against the rules, you're using them to try to improve those rules. That's just an example.

Finally, another issue I see often that relates to this is users saying "that's not how we've always done it, so don't do it". That's a silly statement that prevents the community from advancing forward and growing. Things do need to be changed as a community itself changes. A related essay on this regard is Wikipedia:Ignore all precedent.

And for those who want to know some of the pros and cons of adding such a policy, several years ago Brickipedia discussed this same thing, so you can read the discussion and the pros/cons listed at w:c:lego:Forum:Ignore all rules. After reviewing those pros and cons brought up on that page, Brickipedia decided it was a good idea to add this policy. I believe this wiki should do the same. 