Wikipedia:Don't stuff beans up your nose

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This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it.
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WP:BEANS
This page in a nutshell: If you show people a way to do something, and tell them not to do it, they may be tempted to do it anyway.
Discouraging the insertion of beans into nasal passages may seem like a good idea, but may have unintended consequences when told to people with naïve and adventurous minds.
Discouraging the insertion of beans into nasal passages may seem like a good idea, but may have unintended consequences when told to people with naïve and adventurous minds.[1]
The little boy's mother was off to market. She worried about her boy, who was always up to some mischief. She sternly admonished him, "Be good. Don't get into trouble. Don't eat all the cabbage. Don't spill all the milk. Don't throw stones at the cow. Don't fall down the well." The boy had done all of these things on other market days. Hoping to head off new trouble, she added, "And don't stuff beans up your nose!" This was a new idea for the boy, who promptly tried it out.

In our zeal to head off others' unwise action, we may put forth ideas they have not entertained. It may not be wise to caution against such possibilities. Prophylactic admonition may trigger novel mischief. As the popular saying goes, "don't give 'em any ideas."

In other words, don't give examples of how to cause disruption (e.g. "don't click on this link or you will crash Wikipedia") because this may will actually tempt some people to do it.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Foreign Body In The Nose. Kids Health. NBC11.com. Archived from the original on 2007-02-28.