mar 2
2008
The Charms of Wikipedia
Nicholson Baker's fantastic essay in the New York Review of Books: The Charms of Wikipedia. The first half proposes that the attraction of Wikipedia is its game-like quality, full of characters who play out anon roles on the encyclopedia's stage. "Wikipedia would never have been the prodigious success it has been without its demons." And later: "Not only does Wikipedia need its vandals -- up to a point -- the vandals need an orderly Wikipedia, too. Without order, their culture-jamming lacks a context." And then later, he admits his obsession with fighting against the "deletionists," those curmudgeons who are purging hundreds of articles every day. Baker's profile (username: "Wageless") lists all of his contributions and edits. [via]
