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 | This page in a nutshell: Sometimes, others may be legitimately puzzled by your actions, leading them to ask, "What were you thinking?" It's usually in your best interests to explain your thought process. |
Eventually, someone will comment on an edit you have made and ask, "What were you thinking?" Try not to take offense. Not everyone thinks the same way, and sometimes that which you consider perfectly obvious simply won't occur at all to someone else.
When someone asks what you were thinking, assume the assumption of good faith on their part. They probably really do want to know what you were thinking, because they know you had some reason for what you did. If you explain what you were thinking, they might agree with it.
On the other hand, if you don't explain what you were thinking, it's in human nature that other editors will probably try to guess what you were thinking. Their guess will most likely be wrong. You may find that those guesses paint you in a bad light. Therefore, although you're never required to explain your edits—you can always allow someone else to revert them—it's usually in your best interests as an editor to explain your thought process when other people are puzzled by your actions.