"Cargo Cult Programming" is a bit harsh, but I can see some merit to this idea. IMNSHO, it's not a good idea to *always* do something. There are usually exceptions to a rule, and it's a good idea to know when those exceptions apply. I've been bitten by the /x switch, for example - blindly using it, without understanding that it was screwing up my regexp. It was just sloppiness on my part, a habit that was so ingrained that it took me hours to figure out it was the cause of the problem.