Wikipedia: Are you evil?

en.wikipedia.org

26 points·glitch003··8 comments

Its categorized as Essays -

This essay contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. Essays may represent widespread norms or minority viewpoints. Consider these views with discretion. Essays are not Wikipedia policies or guidelines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_essays

So everyone who isn't a contributor (helping) but only a user (using this to their advantage) is evil..?

I don't really think answer #2 is aimed at lurkers, but rather people who contribute edits for their own gain rather than to be helpful.

No need to get upset, move along.

If you are not their serf on their plantation you have to burn in a fire, even if you don't use Wikipedia for a profit.

Maybe I'm still half asleep or whatever, but I don't get it.

What point is this trying to make?

That people who think like that are evil?

The point they are trying to make is, it's selfish (or evil) to not contribute to wikipedia, while taking advantage of its utility.

Something along those lines.

So if you become jaded about perpetual Talk wars, edit reverts, pissing contests about who is really the expert or what is really notable, and decide that you just don't want to work with those cliquy self-appointed arbiters of what is right and fair, then you're evil?

Are there degrees of evil? If you used to contribute before your underwear burned away, are you less evil?

Do you start off good (when you first find wikipedia) and become evil by leeching?

Or is it the exposure to the dirty secrets of its inner workings that make you evil? With good arising from joining the fight against those machinations?

How is this category notable, BTB?

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