The Reality Police
News Item: In early September, the Wikipedia inner circle banned edits from 1,000 homes and one massive online retailer in an attempt to suppress the voice of one man. His name is Judd Bagley, and when the ban came down, he hadn't edited Wikipedia in over a year. He was merely writing about the site, from his own domain. The Wikipedia elite blacklisted Judd Bagley because he accused them of using their powers to hijack reality … READ MORE
Yes, how comforting it is to know that Wikipedia is on the job, policing reality. Reality, is after all, our most precious resource.
By the way, speaking of Wikipedia, I stand corrected. A Wikipedian of somewhat kindlier disposition than is common among Wikipedians informs me that the sixth day has not yet been reached. Today is Day Five, meaning that the Deciders at Wikipedia have until some time after midnight to reach a decision on my notability.
When that happens, I expect I will feel a let-down, whichever way the decision falls. Because I have discovered that I like this state of indecision. I like the way, when my article pops up, you're immediately confronted with the message that says the article is being considered for deletion. I like it because it's an attention grabber. It arouses curiosity. It causes people to scroll down and read the article closer than they might have otherwise, and when they've read it, to scratch their heads and wonder why it's being deleted.
But, alas ... sooner or later, a decision will be reached. And then, Wikipedia will either delete or keep the article.
And I'm okay with being deleted. More than okay, in fact. Why, I think it would almost be better than this continued state of indecision, because if the article is deleted, I will become conspicuous by my absence. All my peers, all my friends in the alternative/underground comic scene will be on Wikipedia, but I won't be there. And this will cause people to wonder why. And then they will discover that my absence is not due to happenstance. No, it wasn't because someone forgot to write an article about me. I didn't fall through the cracks. No, I was actively deleted! I and only I! Now that is notability.
The only thing that could be better would be if Wikipedia did to me what they did to Mr. Judd Bagley cited in the news article above: banned edits from me and all my neighbors in Austin for criticizing Wikipedia on my own website. Publicity like that you can't buy.
Okay, let's check in at Wikipedia Decision Center, and see if they've come to a decision ...
No, they're still trying to decide ...
Yes, how comforting it is to know that Wikipedia is on the job, policing reality. Reality, is after all, our most precious resource.
By the way, speaking of Wikipedia, I stand corrected. A Wikipedian of somewhat kindlier disposition than is common among Wikipedians informs me that the sixth day has not yet been reached. Today is Day Five, meaning that the Deciders at Wikipedia have until some time after midnight to reach a decision on my notability.
When that happens, I expect I will feel a let-down, whichever way the decision falls. Because I have discovered that I like this state of indecision. I like the way, when my article pops up, you're immediately confronted with the message that says the article is being considered for deletion. I like it because it's an attention grabber. It arouses curiosity. It causes people to scroll down and read the article closer than they might have otherwise, and when they've read it, to scratch their heads and wonder why it's being deleted.
But, alas ... sooner or later, a decision will be reached. And then, Wikipedia will either delete or keep the article.
And I'm okay with being deleted. More than okay, in fact. Why, I think it would almost be better than this continued state of indecision, because if the article is deleted, I will become conspicuous by my absence. All my peers, all my friends in the alternative/underground comic scene will be on Wikipedia, but I won't be there. And this will cause people to wonder why. And then they will discover that my absence is not due to happenstance. No, it wasn't because someone forgot to write an article about me. I didn't fall through the cracks. No, I was actively deleted! I and only I! Now that is notability.
The only thing that could be better would be if Wikipedia did to me what they did to Mr. Judd Bagley cited in the news article above: banned edits from me and all my neighbors in Austin for criticizing Wikipedia on my own website. Publicity like that you can't buy.
Okay, let's check in at Wikipedia Decision Center, and see if they've come to a decision ...
No, they're still trying to decide ...
posted by Mack White at 12:39 PM
<< Home