The Kingdom Come

I have sometimes been ridiculed for linking to Wikipedia or using it for reference. Wikipedia, for those who may not know is an online, open-source encyclopedia. Open-source in this case means that anyone can edit the entries. And it is because it is open-source, that people sometimes ridicule me for using it, since the implication is that the information is supposedly not professionally established and may be unreliable.

However, to me Wikipedia's strong point is exactly because its entries can be challenged, by anyone. Think of the "professional" media for example. They often put out information which we have little ability to challenge, let alone verify. The same can be said of school text books. Look at any public school text book on say history or science and you'll see hypothetical concepts that are presented to children as if they are fact.

Of course, since Wikipedia is open-source, there is a chance some crack-pot will alter the entry and present a false definition. But usually, per peer review, any falsities are quickly corrected by other people.

Wikipedia, or rather the open-source format offers to include more than just the elitists into the room. As a matter of fact, it is usually the elitists who ridicule me for referencing Wikipedia. Imagine that.

Lastly, when I do reference Wikipedia, I typically check out the information to make sure it is in line with other sources. The days where an elite group monopolized the flow of information are over. For example, in the United States, we no longer rely on only three network television stations for our information. We have the ability to check and double check and get more details on the information. Perhaps elitists don't like this. They want us to "leave it to the professionals", however once the "professionals" stopped reporting and began manipulating, we have sought out freedom of information.

I will continue to use both open-source and institutional sources to help bolster the articles I present on TKC.