Reading #2

Is Wikipedia a Victim of  Its Own Success?

It is common knowledge that the Internet is always changing. I do not think people really spend a lot of time pondering this issue, nor do they really notice it. However, big websites like Wikipedia definitely face the changing times with a wary and vigilant eye.

When Wikipedia first hit the scene in the early Millennium, its growth skyrocketed...exponentially. The amounts of visitors flocking to the site were unprecedented and no one could see an end in sight for the free-based information giant, that is, until now.

With only a small about of contributors the site has become somewhat biased. Not only that, but the rules have tightened and Wikipedia is becoming quite strict and downright persnickety.  They have upped the ante when it comes to writing/ editing an article for the site. In my opinion, that is what made it so beautiful. Information could be found on Wikipedia about virtually any topic…whether it was necessarily true or not, it provided endless entertainment and sparked interest.

As a self-proclaimed Wikipedia lover, I will always support the website for what it is: a free, fast, fun selection of knowledge, as long as it stays this way. Wikipedia has a way of condensing information and making it easier to comprehend. Of course, I cannot use Wikipedia as a source for a paper, but I sure can read an article on Wikipedia to better my understanding of Nuclear Physics.

Indeed, I am saddened by the changes taking place with my beloved informational index. The community of Wikipedians has gradually dissipated and now only includes a small, limited, group of intellectuals that run the show. This “elite” has stripped the site of it’s varied information, quirky spontaneous quality, and most importantly…its profound diversity, to establish a website that is seemingly more scholarly. Wikipedia is what it is.

In my opinion Wikipedia is losing its authenticity, and becoming just another Britannica.  With only a very small class, race, and gender being represented, how does Wikipedia expect to continue to uphold its ostentatious appeal to an ever-changing world full of different people with different cultures and beliefs?