Wikis

- Here we are Appendix at the wiki stage of 23 things, and wikis, I think, will be something even you'll appreciate. Imagine the world full of webpages on every topic with everyone who has expertise, or who even wants a say, being able to contribute to keeping those webpages as complete, as accurate and as up-to-date as possible! It's like having an entire library at your fingertips with the pressing of a few buttons. It's like having every expert opinion available to you whenever you want. And, and this is a big "and", it's the democratisation of knowledge. No longer do we have to wait for, depend upon, defer to so-called expert opinion. We all have the power now. We are the ones with the knowledge in our hands. Wikis are the future my friend, believe me.
- Yes Caecum, "the future". Just like tomorrow, diet pills and people thanking God for saving them from the natural disaster He just failed to save their neighbour from.
- Why are you always so negative?
- Why are you always so unquestioningly naive and stupid?
- I don't believe you answered my question.
- You genuinely think that letting everyone and their dog who happens to have an opinion about anything contribute to wikis will ensure that as much knowledge as possible becomes available to as many people as possible?
- Of course. Imagine the power of everyone in the world becoming involved in learning about and contributing to as many wikis as possible. Never before has so much information become available to so many people in such a democratic way as this.
- Let me get this straight. What you're saying is that, in the same way that, in a democracy, every member of society is involved in running their country through having a vote and through being able to make their views know to their local member and through even going to the extent of, if they're passionate enough, running for office, when we're talking about wikis, every member of the public can be involved in contributing to and running our knowledge base.
- Yes. A democracy is obviously the best way to run a government. We can apply the same principles to running our knowledge base.
- If we look at the different governments around the world, we'll be able to see the benefits of democracies, will we?
- Of course.
- So, the USA, for example? A country that invades other countries because they don't like their governments? A country that can find $700b to bale out their financial institutions but who can't give their poorest members health care? A country where there's a serious debate about whether or not to teach intelligent design as a viable competitor to evolution? Is this the paragon of democracy you're holding up for our consideration?
- But this is my point, isn't it? Doesn't the quality and success of a democracy depend upon the education, wisdom and participation of its constituents? Won't the democratisation of knowledge lead to the spread of such education, wisdom and participation? Isn't this where wikis will find their greatest hour in history?
- Let me ask you this question. Say there's ten wikis on the scientific evidence for evolution. And there's ten wikis opposing this scientific evidence while proposing intelligent design as a viable and alternative description of our natural history. Now read carefully, because here comes the question. How many religious people, who find succour and truth in the intelligent design wikis, will, first of all, read the scientific evidence available on the science wikis, and second of all, read it carefully and thoughtfully enough to find their views changed by such evidence?
- But that's the point isn't it? The web is for everyone. Not just special interest groups.
- You're calling scientists "special interest groups"?
- Look, there's a serious debate about whether or not the "scientific evidence" actually "proves" evolution.
- Not amongst sane people.
- Wikis are just another way in which these debates can be aired and given their proper and due attention.
- I think you're missing the point. Imagine, if you will, a neo-Nazi who denies the Holocaust. There are thousands and thousands of pages of evidence of the Holocaust. There are thousands of pages of testimonials, photos, reports, even Nazi records. All of which speak to the events of the Holocaust. Say, there are also hundreds of pages of neo-Nazi drivel about how the Holocaust is all a Jewish conspiracy. So, these neo-Naze pages are directly at odds with the pages of evidence. Which pages do you think the neo-Nazi will spend his or her time visiting and contributing to?
- Again, there'll always be special interest groups in our communities. A democracy caters to everyone. Wikis give these people a place to be themselves.
- I believe you were talking about knowledge. Are the pages of neo-Nazi propaganda to be considered knowledge in the same way that the pages of evidence that support the accounts of the Holocaust?
- But that's not the point.
- But you said earlier that it was the point. Wikis aren't the democratisation of anything. They will not ensure our future. They will not spread knowledge far and wide through making it available to anyone who has access to the internet. Wikis will just be one more place where we can hide ourselves away in our little niches of like-minded individuals. They'll be refuges from any uncomfortable or contradictory information. If we stumble across a wiki that offers us information that contradicts our own or makes us uncomfortable in any way, we'll just keep on stumbling until we find someone like us or, who at least is more like us than those other freaks, and we'll while away the hours of our lives in the company of similarly deluded fools and we'll have lived our lives and learned nothing. Very much how we go through our lives today. Yes, indeed. Long live the wiki.
-Is there anything you're actually in favour of?
-Yes. Not being naive and stupid.