--- koyaanis qatsi obchodnakorze@yahoo.com wrote:
Two points: one purely logical, the other political.
- the logical:
Our goal is, and let me reiterate this for those of you who have forgotten, to make a complete, factual, NPOV encyclopedia. The only viable, though tedious and laborious, option in implementing filters on wikipedia would be to cite who believes what about which article--e.g. "George W. Bush believes this article was written by an anti-capitalist scumbag." "Osama bin Laden says Allah will strike down the infidel who gave voice to these words." "Robert Mapplethorpe says this article is less explicit than the dreams he had when he was 12." Otherwise, when we decide what is "explicit" or "controversial," we will be labeling the articles with a POV. It may be a common POV, or an uncommon POV, but it will be a POV. It will, furthermore, be the "official" wikipedia POV. Wikipedia is not supposed to voice a POV. Voicing a POV = bad. Contrary to mission. Not voicing a POV = good. In keeping with mission.
Wikipedia is not your mother, or your thoughtful well-intentioned son. It is an encyclopedia. In keeping with the general purpose of encyclopedias, it presents information. Some of you will not like information. Those of you who do not like information will be at the wrong site. Don't complain to Firestone because they sell tires and not pizza.
Wikipedia may not be out to protect you, and it is certainly not its mission, but there are other reasons for categorisation on wikipedia.
One of Wikipedia's main goals is to get it to everyone. That's why it is free, in both senses, free food and free speech. If we want to get it to everyone, we have to make some accomidations, and I think optional censorship (necessary at some domain names) is the easiest way to do this.
- the political:
And, since you've brought the children into it when they're not relevant, let me bring *you* into it when you are: There are people throughout the world dying of starvation, some of them so desperate for food that they look through feces for undigested kernels of corn. Already I hear you saying "Whoa! Hey! the details of your miserable life are too 'explicit' for me and my 200-pound 8 year-old son, driving down the street in an SUV eating a McRibs Deluxe." I say to you, you are the posterchilds for miseducation, for fear, for censorship and everything wikipedia doesn't stand for: you've so come to love the weight of your own ignorance, that yoke on your shoulders, that you miss its caress when it's gone. Go in peace, but please do go.
kq
Learning about sexual practices is not necessary for a complete education. I think that is really the only thing, along with swear words, that would need to be censored at edupedia. Plus, this censorship is optional at Wikipedia.
-LDan
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