[Wikipedia-l] comment on wikipedia

[Optim]

I was describing to someone how Wikipedia works:
"anyone can edit" etc.

He answered with this argument:
"Wikipedia is the triumph of the average person!
of the man in the street!)"

(average meaning: not good, not bad, just OK)

I asked "why?"

His explanation:
"Great brilliant works are built by individuals.
Groups of people can only create average works.
If someone writes something good in the wiki,
other average persons will intervene with his/her
work and turn it into an average work. If someone
writes something bad in the wiki, the others will
again turn it into something of average value.
with your system (meaning: Wikipedia's system)
you can be sure that you will never create
something too bad but also never something too
good. You can create only average articles."

The idea behind his argument was that Wikipedia
will be a good resource as long as it attracts
good cotnributors. but it will soon become an
average site/encyclopaedia because it allows
anyone to join the project and edit, and most
people are just average persons and not brilliant
writers.

Do you think it's true? and how can we answer
this argument?

--Optim

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