Tachyony: Imported page

2022-01-18T00:41:17Z

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{{essay|WP:SFoD}}
{{nutshell|Don't mindlessly quote policy or guideline titles at other editors in arguments. It's obnoxious and counter productive. Explain yourself.}}

[[Image:Steven Ho Martial Arts Kick.jpg|thumb|right|[[Steven Ho (martial artist)|Steven Ho]] executing a Jump Spin [[Hook Kick]], hoping his opponent will agree that Steven's right and he's wrong. Don't resolve arguments on Wikipedia like this.]]
: ''"I would really really appreciate it if people actually bothered to read policy/guideline pages rather than just quoting them like some fighters in an old kung fu movie ("[[Wikipedia:EWI|WP:Drunken fists!]]" "[[Rock-paper-scissors|WP:RETAIN]]!" "[[Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Enforcement|WP:Flying mongoose!]]" "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yo_mama&redirect=no WP:DIACRITICS]!" "[[WP:Shadowless Fist of Death!]]")"'' – {{u|Volunteer Marek}}, [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia%3AAdministrators%27_noticeboard%2FIncidents&action=historysubmit&diff=422596169&oldid=422595175 some time on 5 April 2011]

A [[Snake in the Eagle's Shadow#Plot|discussion or an argument]] on Wikipedia is not a [[martial arts]] fight from an old [[Drunken Master|kung fu movie]].

Wikipedia policy and guideline titles, for example [[Eagle Claw|WP:RS]], [[Snake Kung Fu|WP:OR]], [[Monkey Kung Fu|WP:NPOV]] and many others, especially [[Jujutsu|WP:SFoD]], are NOT [[Zagavory|magical incantations]] which, when [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CallingYourAttacks invoked] at the proper moment, will defeat your opponents in arguments. Editors should not mindlessly invoke various Wikipedia guidelines and policies, or just their [[True name|shortcut names]], like some kind of [[Football chant|magical mantras]], without having bothered to read the actual guideline/policy, or adequately explaining how a particular policy/guideline actually applies in a particular case.

Because policy pages are in [[wiki]] format, anyone can change their content at any time – and do. There are groups of Wikipedians who devote their time to debating what these policy pages should say. One is better off not invoking or quoting policy, but [[WP:IAR|explaining oneself clearly and succinctly]], and linking to policy pages only when it serves as a useful shortcut. More times than not, the average Wikipedian's understanding of policy is more accurate than what the relevant page actually states, and it may take a critical incident to force the community to bring the page up to date.

Furthermore, invoking certain policies or essays can often backfire. One common example is when an editor, who has [[WP:TE]] or [[WP:COI]] hurled at her or him, immediately invokes [[WP:AGF]]. Unless the editor's following sentences prove remarkably persuasive, everyone reading the thread for more than entertainment purposes will be busy studying that editor's contribution history very carefully, expecting to find further examples of misbehavior.

== See also ==
* [[WP:TL;DR]]
* [[WP:BATTLEFIELD]]
* [[WP:WL]]
* [[WP:ESSAYS]]
* [[WP:VAGUEWAVE]]
* [[WP:WHACAMOLE]]

{{Wikipedia essays|civility}}

Wikipedia:Shadowless Fists of Death! - Revision history

Tachyony: Imported page