Nina Stratton wrote:
On 1/17/07, Marc Riddell michaeldavid86@comcast.net wrote:
Ya know what we need in WP, an Article on Expertaphobia: The fear of, and seeming intimidation by, people who know stuff about things.
Someone, I don't recall who it was, wrote that they would never work on something where experts were involved. Really? Who would you go to if you needed heart surgery, or wanted to learn how to play a violin?
Don't look now, but you are working with the aid of experts right now! Those marvelous persons behind the scenes of this computerized market place who make all of this possible. Without them we would be typing into the ether.
Fair enough. As long as my intelligence, experience, and ability to learn aren't discounted. I've been made to feel small a lot in my life by "experts", simply because I didn't have one or two pieces of paper. It's all good now and I love my career and life, but Wikipedia is important to me because it's pretty much the opposite of my past.
People respect my skills and insight here. It's greatly improved my confidence level on all fronts. In fact (why yes, it's quite ironic), I'm planning on going back to school and getting my long-lost bachelor's and masters in Human Services as a direct result of my time here (among other things - my job plays a big part in it too).
Some of the editors that I've come to respect the most on Wikipedia are not only non-experts, they're teenagers. My teenage collaborators have been extremely active, and have gotten references to things no one else could find. They're also knowledgeable, helpful, and kind. When I say teenagers, I'm talking 14-15, not 18-19. They've impressed me in their editing and insight more than any "expert".
Great! You and Marc approach the issues from entirely different perspectives, and are approaching a consensus. That's what it's all about.
Ec