[WikiEN-l] Troubling news on Citizendium

Thu Jan 18 14:57:17 UTC 2007

> From: "Nina Stratton" <ninaeliza at gmail.com>
> Reply-To: English Wikipedia <wikien-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:20:23 -0800
> To: "English Wikipedia" <wikien-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] Troubling news on Citizendium
> 
> On 1/17/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> From: "Nina Stratton" <ninaeliza at gmail.com>
>>> Reply-To: English Wikipedia <wikien-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
>>> Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:20:48 -0800
>>> To: "English Wikipedia" <wikien-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] Troubling news on Citizendium
>>> 
>>> +!
>>> 
>>> On 1/17/07, Stan Shebs <stanshebs at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Phil Sandifer wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> [...] If Larry wants an encyclopedia free of its biases, he should
>>>>> work on one. But he shouldn't call it an encyclopedia run by experts
>>>>> if he's going to dismiss the experts.
>>>>> 
>>>> There are plenty of experts going at each other with knives on WP;
>>>> expertise is simply a fund of knowledge, and does not magically confer
>>>> diplomatic, communication, or collaboration skills. In fact, great
>>>> knowledge tends to breed arrogance, making conflict more likely, not
>>>> less so. CZ adds real names and attributions to the mix, raising the
>>>> stakes even further by introducing the possibility of effect on one's
>>>> careers. The organizer would need the superior political skills of an
>>>> Ivy League dean to make it all work, but Larry's forum postings don't
>>>> evidence much improvement at diplomacy since the times he was angering
>>>> editors on WP.
>>>> 
>>>> Stan
>> 
>> 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.
>> 
>> Ease up!
>> 
>> Marc Riddell
>>>> 
>>>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 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".
> 
> 
>>> Sincerely,
>>> 
>>> Nina

Nina,

Long before there were university degrees, there was the human being¹s
ability to reason, and, most importantly to empathize. A formal education
can help you fine tune the first one of these, but no type or amount of this
education can give you the second one. You seem to have it. Nurture it, use
it  you¹re already far ahead of the game.

Whatever formal degrees I may have, I consider them as things I¹ve
accumulated on the way to learning something. And, as necessary keys that
provide me access to the most important part  the persons I am trying to
reach.

If someone is trying to put you down, they must need you to be there, so
they can be where they are.

Best of luck in your studies and work in Human Services. The field could use
many more like you. You appear to have a particular feel for adolescents. I
don't know what your present work is in now, but perhaps your self is trying
to tell you something about a career change. Consider adolescent psychology;
the teens could use someone like you.

Perspective:  B.S. = Bull.Shit.  M.S. = More.Shit. - Ph.D. = Piled high. &
Deep. :-)

Be healthy,

Marc Riddell

>>> "Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us
>> and
>>> conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work." - Abdul
>> Kalam
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>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Nina
> "Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and
> conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work." - Abdul Kalam
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