[WikiEN-l] Just what *is* Jimbo's role anyway? - personality cult

[William Pietri]

Seth Finkelstein wrote:
>> "Slim Virgin"
>> So what is the untoward thing, in your view?
>>     
>
> 	Briefly, the illusion of prestige comparable to an academic.

I have never seen that suggested that is a big benefit. When I click the 
edit link, I don't see breathless promises about vast prestige. I see 
prosaic warnings that I should write only attributable content, and that 
I lose all control over whatever I submit.

When I talk with people about why they edit Wikipedia, the answer I 
generally get is that it's already something they use, and when they saw 
something that needed fixing, they just fixed it. I've never heard 
anybody describe it in terms like yours. Even among the most energetic 
participants, the prestige I see being sought is among the Wikipedia 
community. Academic prestige is something academics get from society at 
large, whereas Wikipedia's prestige is much more akin to the kind of 
thing you see on any other hobbyist internet community. WOW players may 
be very excited that you've made it to level eleventy-seven, but in the 
wider world, nobody cares.


William