WK 6.1 Reading "Encyclopedic Anxiety" - Hanane Ben Abdeslam

According to the reading Wikipedia has triggered larger social anxieties about technological and social change. The higher the standards that Wikipedia aims for, the more that Wikipedia will appear sub-standard to the outside world. Many reference controversies revolve around the extent to which reference works are seen as normative, that is, in some way condoning their subject and sources. Way back in the seventeenth century, it was with the sense that the language had reached perfection and should therefore be fixed. However, encyclopedist have been more willing to associate the scope of their subject, and its treatment, with a larger social program. Moreover, another probable reason reference works is thought to be normative is that they were marketed as resource for children. The implication was that any parent who failed to buy an encyclopedia for the youngster was depriving a child of the opportunity of doing well in school, and in life. The public however, noticed that encyclopedias are used as an authoritative source for instruction. Other wiki-based projects face a similar issue, they provide accessible information on how to do various tasks yourself. So, on this point the conversation about Wikipedia can be understood with a handful of themes. The author of the reading made it clear that the way in which content is produced has changed. People still question themselves whether this type of collaboration is good, bad, or could be improved. Furthermore, Wikipedia is an imperfect realization of a long-pursued vision for a universal encyclopedia. 

What I’ve learned from the reading is how knowledge is constituted and can be difficult, but one can identify three ways for how we might think of knowledge production. First, it’s the hermit’s encyclopedia, devoid of all contact with the words of others. Second, the production of a reference work eventually exceeded the capability of any person. Finally, there is Wikipedia and other open content. I know now how this community and its culture facilitate the production of an encyclopedia.

Although technology may inspire some toward a particular end, it might also disgust others and effect changes that are not welcome. Do you still think that Wikipedia can serve not only as a reference work, but also, at the same time, as a study of how knowledge is constructed and contested?

Hanane Ben Abdeslam