The Signpost

In the media

Wikipedia is "a rancorous, sexist, elitist, stupidly bureaucratic mess"

Wikipedia is "a rancorous, sexist, elitist, stupidly bureaucratic mess"

Title page of the Encyclopédie

David Auerbach (Auerbachkeller) wrote in Slate that Wikipedia is "a rancorous, sexist, elitist, stupidly bureaucratic mess" (December 11). While Auerbach praises Wikipedia, calling it "amazing", a "seminal" work, and comparing it in importance to the 18th century French Encyclopédie, he also writes that the online encyclopedia has developed a Kafkaesque bureaucracy full of "ugly and bitter" personalities that is inhospitable to women and new editors. Commenting on the "legalistic anarchy" that is the English Wikipedia's governance, he writes "I am not exaggerating when I say it is the closest thing to Kafka's The Trial I have ever witnessed."

Auerbach delved into the recent Arbitration Committee case regarding the Gender Gap task force, expressing surprise that "the only woman in the argument", Carolmooredc, was indefinitely banned for her "uncivil comments". At the same time, her two male "chief antagonists" received "comparative slaps on the wrist": Eric Corbett—whom he calls "productive but notoriously hostile" and notes that he "has a milelong track record of incivility", including a highly offensive comment directed at Jimmy Wales—and Sitush, who wrote a Wikipedia article about Carolmooredc during the course of their conflict.

Auerbach contrasts "The Unblockables, a class of abrasive editors who can get away with murder because they have enough of a fan club within Wikipedia", and new editors, who sometimes receive a "hostile welcome" and are accused of being a single-purpose account. Auerbach links the latter to the decline in the number of active editors, which he says increases the pressure to retain productive editors, even those who engage in problematic behavior, behavior which alienates new editors and increases even further the pressure to retain existing ones.

Auerbach expresses doubt that Wikipedia will be able to address these issues from within, citing Dariusz Jemielniak (Pundit), author of the recent book Common Knowledge: An Ethnography of Wikipedia (see Signpost book review), who told Auerbach that "Wikipedians are allergic to all forms of control." Auerbach concludes:


In brief

The CIA Torture Report




















Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2014-12-10/In_the_media