daniwo59@aol.com wrote:
There is a serious problem. As the number of Wikipedia rules spiral, we are seeing people figure out how to play the rules for their own personal edification. Meanwhile, three old-time users--172, AdamCarr, and Mirv, who have thousands of valuable edits to their name (regardless of what anyone might think of any of them personally)--have either been blocked or left the project in the past 24 hours.
I don't know about Mirv, but I'm not surprised about the other two; their attitude has always been that they should be able to do whatever they think is right, and to hell with anyone who dares to disagree.
The 3RR is a really simple and obvious rule. I think it's eminently reasonable to expect a PhD to figure out that if a second revert hasn't solved a problem, a third one won't either, nor would a fourth, fifth, or 37th. The fact that they revert anyway shows that it's more important to them to get their way than anything else. They can only be "gamed" because they don't even respect other editors enough to stop the reflexive reverting and ask for help.
This whole blocking for rule violation process should be like speeding; if I get caught going over 65 or whatever, then my rational reaction is to take the punishment or plead extenuating circumstances, and then to get on with my life - not to argue that the concept of laws is mistaken, that speed limits shouldn't exist because they interfere with the overall goals of society, that they should exist for everybody except me because I'm the only competent driver on the road, or to sell my car.
Stan