Oh young people ...

[blamebrampton]

I caught a news snippet while rushing to get dressed this morning. It was on the 10th anniversary of Wikipedia, and the journalist was interviewing a schoolboy who looked about 17. He told her that he used Wikipedia regularly and found it to be a good source. When the journalist asked him about the varying credibility and skill of Wikipedia contributors, he stared in wide-eyed horror.

After a moment, he replied, 'Well, I've only just found out about that. I thought that there was a central place it all came from where everything was checked! This is big news. I am going to have to think about this at length!'

Twelve hours later, I have nearly stopped giggling.

Comments

[azurelunatic]

Eeeeeheeeheeee heee oh bless.

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

ha! poor pet! his world just fell apart. he doesn't even know what to believe any more!

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Ahahahaha! Big news! *snorfles*8

[cinnatart.livejournal.com]

I would say I'm surprised but I'm not. I used to edit university articles and thesis papers that would cite Wiki. I wish I were kidding.

[knic26.livejournal.com]

Oh dear...

I used to tell my students that they could *start* with wiki, but just as a place to find basic info and branch out from there. If I ever had someone that sited wiki, I wouldn't accept the work.

[la-mariane.livejournal.com]

The upside of this situation is that teachers will never lack for work :D

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

ROFLMAO

*headdesk*

ROFLMAO

*headdesk*


... you get the picture. :D

[oncelikeshari.livejournal.com]

He's run to his friends to tell them that a manifold isn't a bloke who does origami! *LOL*

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

[This [child] needs additional citations for verification.]

[drgaellon]

The funniest part (which clearly comes across in your narration) is the wide-eyed incredulity.

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

WHA??????

Wikipedia isn't a reliable source?? Oh tell me it's not true???

lolololol

Have to love the young...and worry for the future.

[teganscrush.livejournal.com]

It all spits out of a biiig computer somewhere and the information is 1000% correct with impeccable sources. :D

His reaction is awesome!

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

*face palms on behalf of humanity*

[embolinaoz.livejournal.com]

Well at least he's thinking now! :)

[nenne.livejournal.com]

I think such ignorance is a tiny bit adorable. To be so young and naive. :)

[why-am-i.livejournal.com]

Teehehehehe! Trufax, Wikipedia has them.

My friend does Calisthenics, and was amused to discover, according to Wikipedia, that she was the founder of the entire sport.

[(Anonymous)]

Well while a lot of people are chortling and sniggering here I think you need to think about this. It really depends on what you are researching. For example I had to do a uni assignment on the on-line response to the release of Halo 3. It was required that I use the Halo 3 wiki and the online comments from wikipedia to justify my comments about the online response. So I had to use wikipediea and comment on it.

There are also many other wiki's that are not wikipedeia that are set up for companies and for particular programs, events, situation etc where the information that they use is more up to date than books are because they change so often and where the wiki is more useful as a source than anything else.

So while I agree that wikipedia should not be used as a sole source and should not be used all the time there is a time and a place for it and sometimes wikipedia is the best place for information. It depends on what you are researching.

[wivern.livejournal.com]

We're doomed! *g*