By Justin Baumann
Sept. 11's article, "Wikipedia controversy," brings up some good points about the use of online encyclopedias. I would have to agree with professors that Wikipedia should not be cited in academic work. However, Wikipedia's significance is extremely underrated. Wikipedia, while not one of the greatest things ever created, is by far the greatest thing the Internet has ever spawned. Wikipedia, if many of you do not know, is only the tipping point in what the future holds.
Wikipedia is foreshadowing a future where everything ever known is instantly accessed and known by any individual on the planet. While Wikipedia's place is not in academia, its place is in society, and the ever-expanding societal habit of instantly accessing information at the push of a button.
Wikipedia is the most important invention of the last 20 years and is still becoming the most important tool that will influence our future.
Now the few of you who are still reading this must be saying to yourself, this is absolutely crazy. But is it? We are quickly entering (if not already there) an age where people demand information instantly.
We demand our fantasy stats up-to-date, our stock quotes as they drop, and our pregnancy test results no sooner than you can scream, "pull out!" Wikipedia gives us that, but provides us information that can be collected by every individual. One day we will all be able to upload everything we know instantly to Wikipedia and everyone else will know it. Scary, isn't it? We're almost there already.
For example, you can log on to Wikipedia at any time of the day, from anyplace you have internet (which is everywhere) and search, "Compass Group," and read all about the multi-million dollar scandals the company that owns Bon Appetit Management Company has been involved in. This is all instantaneous, and is only as slow as your computer is.
But perhaps I'm wrong? Perhaps Wikipedia has its place in academia. As of right now it doesn't. But behold, the same country that put a man on the moon can make Wikipedia work for papers, too. Perhaps in the future Wikipedia will automatically take research papers, compile them, and produce the best peer-reviewed knowledge of the day.
Call me crazy, but who would've thought 20 years ago we'd have iPods, laptops and Escalades that got 21 mpg highway!?
What is peer-reviewed anyway? It's just a bunch of people who get together and say that because they all say so, it must be true. That's worked for everyone including Facists, Communists, cults and any other type of coercive organization.
Wikipedia, however, allows users who actually know something to overwrite incorrect information, and allows the rest of the population to recognize who knows what they're talking about. Yes it's not perfect, and how do we know that those people writing in aren't credible but are using their power for evil? That's why for now, Wikipedia does not belong in academia.
However, Wikipedia does belong at everyone's fingertips and I will be the foremost proponent of its future potential. Wikipedia is the greatest invention of the last 50 years, and will continue to lead the way in the way we access information.
I guess my point in all of this is just don't cite Wikipedia. Click on the citations it uses, and cite those. But just remember, Wikipedia knows more than you do, which means it probably knows you didn't spend the time to do your research.
