Last Monday Dutch TV station the VPRO broadcasted an item about Wikipedia and interviewed the people for and against the Web 2.0 phenomenon.
Tegenlicht: Wiki’s truth. It’s mainly in English, except for small parts with Dutch voice-overs.
We live at the beginning of the so-called information era. Since the internet bubble busted the internet has evolved into Web 2.0 in which the user no longer watches but also participates.
Internet is no longer a medium in which companies and organisations broadcast their content. Users are building website together. The internet allows people to dialogue. Web 2.0 has just started and people are only just toying with the new possibilities.
Wikipedia is just as young and adolescent as the rest of Web 2.0. It is not at all perfect, but an experiment that became huge.
The potential however is unbelievable, our collective memories is now viewable and more important discussable by anyone, anywhere.
Opponents are afraid that the truth will become the truth of the masses. My personal opinion is that they are right, but we should however discuss the truth to progress.
Articles written by scientists and specialists are not always true and the press is not always objective, although they make it seem this way.
Wikipedia is a project in growth and not finished yet. We should not try to stop this evolution, because the truth is not always the truth. All generations should work together towards the goal of progress. There should be better education about testing sources and how to be sceptical of things people read on the internet, and interpreting the information they find. When the younger generations learn these things we can progress and optimise the system called Wikipedia. Collaboration is the key to perfection.
Wikipedia does not aim to provide THE truth. It wants to be ‘the sum of all human knowledge’. So Wikipedia doesn’t claim to have the truth. It gathers all ‘truths’ together and makes a good start for one’s search for information.
you saw the program, but your right. But some old conservative people don’t get it. They think in the way that there has to be one sort of Goeroe who controls it.
I don’t think it’s about old people getting it or not. There’s the danger in the lack of expertise, and just because everbody’s saying it’s the truth doesn’t mean it’s true. I think the point is, just realise not everything will be the truth on Wikipedia, so use more than one source. Just like Ico’s saying, it’s a (real) good start for your (re)search.
Two things.
First everybody must realize that such thing as truth doesn’t exist. Truth is merely a subjective view of reality which is best in line with your personal vision.
Second, don’t compare Wikipedia to a encyclopedia. This is still a communication problem cause Wikipedia calls itself “the free encyclopedia”
Wikipedia is like hearing a great story in a bar:
You hope it’s true, but never bother confirming it.
from http://blankislikeblank.com/