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| This page in a nutshell: That a rule allows you to do something isn't an argument that you ought to do it. |
An almost sure sign of a problem editor is someone who has"because I can" syndrome. You see this play out like this: Editor A notices something they think is a problem. They say "Hey, Editor B, please don't do this." Then editor B quotes some rule and insists that they'reallowed to do it. Editor A explains why said behavior is harmful. Editor B merely blows off the objection, and insists they'll continue doing itbecause they can.
Editor B has a temperament that is fundamentally incompatible with a collaborative project like Wikipedia. Since Wikipedia isn't going to change to match that misguided temperament, the editors suffering from "because I can" need to either change their ways, or refrain from participating here.
If you see that you are suffering from "because I can", there is an easy solution. Simply recognize that while "because I can" is a perfectly good reason to do somethingon your own website, Wikipedia does not belong to you. Here, the general operating principle is that you should do only what is helpful, rather than anything youcan.