Wikipedia:Other things exist

This essay contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia users. Essays may represent common ideas, or ideas that many users would not support. They are not rules. Think carefully about what they say before following them.

When we discuss things on Wikipedia, some editors point out things which are the same on this project, or on other projects and they try to use these as reasons to keep or remove things. Sometimes they use them to say why something else should, or should not, be created. These types of arguments say that "other things exist". They can be right or wrong. If they are used properly, the similar things they point out can be important, because the encyclopedia should not change what it allows and does not allow.

For instance, making a set of pictures have similar names is a proper reason for giving those files new names (renaming). This can also apply to articles titles as well, but article naming is more difficult. Problems happen when genuine comparisons are ignored without even thinking about Wikipedia's Five pillars.

This essay will try to guide people to use real arguments; that is, arguments which relate to policies and procedures which already exist. It also asks you to think about other issues, like things which have happened before (precedent) and things which have always been the same (consistency). It is important to understand that arguing against someone else's view to keep or remove something, or ignoring it completely - usually by simply telling them about this essay and not doing anything else, is not something we encourage.