 | This is an essay on the Wikipedia:Ignore all rules policy. 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. |
 | This page in a nutshell: If a rule prevents you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore it. |
Back when Wikipedia was just getting started, its editors discussed what kind of rules the project should adopt. The first rule they considered was called "Ignore all rules", and its earliest formulation was,
If rules make you nervous and depressed, and not desirous of participating in the wiki, then ignore them entirely and go about your business.[1]
While the wording of Ignore all rules has changed since then, its purpose has remained the same. Understanding Ignore all rules is the key to understanding the role of rules on Wikipedia in general.
- ^ RulesToConsider from 18 September 2001 (this is the earliest accessible revision)