Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project based on an openly editable model (according to Wikipedia.com). There are over 3 million articles and almost 22 pages. 13 million registered users and 17 hundred administrators. Wikipedia has taken the world by storm. Jimmy Wales outdid himself when he thought, "wouldn't it be great if we could just have a collaborative knowledge base system that can be edited and written by anyone?" Yes because that's what we were all thinking we needed.
It's a great resource...to find out if Lindsay Lohan is in jail again and how long she'll be there. It's a great tool...to randomly read swedish literature. However the whole "anyone can edit it" thing makes me weary. If my professors didn't already tell me I couldn't use wikipedia, I probably still wouldn't use it. Any Joe Schmoe can get on there and say Shakespeare was actually a Roman bullfighter and call it truth. There just isn't any accountability for solid work.
The internet is full of false truths and imaginary work. It's just a side effect of web based technology, however to believe everything written on the internet is to be seriously misled. That's the bottom line.
We live in that glorious age where my generation only communicates through technology and at some point we're just going to have to learn and communicate things the old way, otherwise what will we have gained from our lives other than viruses and illegal music at the end of the day. I just think it'd be nice to really know all of my facebook friends...like in real life.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go wikipedia Justin Beiber
Oh no, not Justin Beiber! haha
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that wikipedia was so big, thats cool you included that information. In regard to your comment about knowing all your facebook friends, its funny to hear yet another person say that. I don't necessarily stay in contact with all my facebook friends but i do in fact know all 518 of them.
I absolutely agree we should all be weary of fact and fiction on the internet. It's important for everyone in this society to be media literate and able to filter truth out of the almost infinite supply of information on the web. A good education is key to not being misled by 'truthy' information.
ReplyDeleteI agree.. it is not a good education tool... but it is good for looking up everyday information and gossip you dont really care thats right or not.
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