Wikipedia: The Pinnacle of Human Achievement?
When ranking humankind's accomplishments, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia may seem out of place next to putting someone on the moon, the invention of the printing press and moveable type, or Beethoven's Fifth. Maybe it is. Or maybe it is greater than all of the above. Wikipedia, I would suggest, is a utopian experiment that has worked.
Wikipedia is the most comprehensive, available, and accessible source of information in human history. It is updated constantly; and for the most part Wikipedia is a credible source of information. But Wikipedia does not pay writers, researchers, or experts to write entries for their encyclopedia. Anyone with Internet access can edit or contribute to Wikipedia. Any person with the time and the desire can delete an entire entry and replace it with information of his or her own. Any individual who is willing can create a new entry on any subject imaginable.
When I first realized what Wikipedia was and how it worked, I had doubts. Could I trust an encyclopedia that can be manipulated by anyone? The free Internet reference library leaves itself open to "web terrorists" who might delete entries or post false information. But Wikipedia maintains integrity and credibility despite leaving itself completely vulnerable. The site's contributors are vigilant and dedicated enough to fix errors as they arise and to undo the work of pranksters.
Wikipedia's contributors are anonymous volunteers. Since contributors are not credited nor compensated, their indentities and credentials are unknown. Wikipedia's success relies on thousands, even millions, of people who are willing to take the time to write and edit encyclopedia entries on their area(s) of expertise. The free web encyclopedia covers a broader range of subjects than a conventional encyclopedia (for example, Mike Mullins highly recommends the entry for Internet phenomenon) and is more up-to-date (for example, I checked the entry on Pope Benedict XVI less than two hours after his election was announced and found a thorough account of his career and the circumstances of his election).
I have personally been contributing to the entries for the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. I know something about the denominational forebears of The United Methodist Church, so I'll contribute some of my knowledge. Of course, readers have no way of knowing what I have contributed and what has come from other Wikipedia enthusiasts.
Wikipedia proves that people can be productive without being motivated by compensation or recognition. It is a current-day manifestation of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16): Everyone does what he or she can, when he or she can, and everyone benefits equally. Wikipedia is an example of human cooperation untainted by economic or political ideologies. Wikipedia may be the greatest thing that we, as a species, have ever done.
Wikipedia is the most comprehensive, available, and accessible source of information in human history. It is updated constantly; and for the most part Wikipedia is a credible source of information. But Wikipedia does not pay writers, researchers, or experts to write entries for their encyclopedia. Anyone with Internet access can edit or contribute to Wikipedia. Any person with the time and the desire can delete an entire entry and replace it with information of his or her own. Any individual who is willing can create a new entry on any subject imaginable.
When I first realized what Wikipedia was and how it worked, I had doubts. Could I trust an encyclopedia that can be manipulated by anyone? The free Internet reference library leaves itself open to "web terrorists" who might delete entries or post false information. But Wikipedia maintains integrity and credibility despite leaving itself completely vulnerable. The site's contributors are vigilant and dedicated enough to fix errors as they arise and to undo the work of pranksters.
Wikipedia's contributors are anonymous volunteers. Since contributors are not credited nor compensated, their indentities and credentials are unknown. Wikipedia's success relies on thousands, even millions, of people who are willing to take the time to write and edit encyclopedia entries on their area(s) of expertise. The free web encyclopedia covers a broader range of subjects than a conventional encyclopedia (for example, Mike Mullins highly recommends the entry for Internet phenomenon) and is more up-to-date (for example, I checked the entry on Pope Benedict XVI less than two hours after his election was announced and found a thorough account of his career and the circumstances of his election).
I have personally been contributing to the entries for the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. I know something about the denominational forebears of The United Methodist Church, so I'll contribute some of my knowledge. Of course, readers have no way of knowing what I have contributed and what has come from other Wikipedia enthusiasts.
Wikipedia proves that people can be productive without being motivated by compensation or recognition. It is a current-day manifestation of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16): Everyone does what he or she can, when he or she can, and everyone benefits equally. Wikipedia is an example of human cooperation untainted by economic or political ideologies. Wikipedia may be the greatest thing that we, as a species, have ever done.
posted by Tinley | 7:52 AM
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