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Revision as of 23:14, 22 October 2010
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==Wikipedia's core policies and creativity==
==Wikipedia's core policies and creativity==
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<td>http://akahele.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/250px-comcast2alr-150x150.jpg</td>
<td>http://akahele.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/250px-comcast2alr-150x150.jpg</td>
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<td class="photocaption A photo can also be a violation of the "No original research" policy.</td>
<td class="photocaption />A photo can also be a violation of the "No original research" policy.</td>
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==Wikipedia...Art?==
==Wikipedia...Art?==
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<td>http://akahele.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/180px-wikipedia_art-copy-150x150.jpg</td>
<td>http://akahele.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/180px-wikipedia_art-copy-150x150.jpg</td>
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<td class="photocaption the official logo of the Wikipedia Art project.</td>
<td class="photocaption"> the official logo of the Wikipedia Art project.</td>
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Note the disparaging remark, and the return to normalcy via the Wikipedia-specific alphanumeric jargon. ''Those art trolls aren't going to pull the wool over our eyes! No sir! '' Unfortunately for him, Werdna [http://www.somedancersandmusicians.com/vlog/ScenesOfProvincialLife.cgi/2009/02/15#post298 discovered too late the perils of confronting the Art World] head on! (A history of the project from the point of view of the artists is available [http://wikipediaart.org/brief-history/ here]).
Note the disparaging remark, and the return to normalcy via the Wikipedia-specific alphanumeric jargon. ''Those art trolls aren't going to pull the wool over our eyes! No sir! '' Unfortunately for him, Werdna [http://www.somedancersandmusicians.com/vlog/ScenesOfProvincialLife.cgi/2009/02/15#post298 discovered too late the perils of confronting the Art World] head on! (A history of the project from the point of view of the artists is available [http://wikipediaart.org/brief-history/ here]).
==The end product of the conflict: Vandalism==
Around the same time the Wikipedia Art project was going on, police in Stockholm, Sweden were [http://www.thelocal.se/17660/20090218/ investigating the case] of an art student who had filmed the vandalism of a subway train as part of his final project for Art School. Another student [http://www.thelocal.se/17268/20090130/ pretended to be be psychotic] and went as far as arranging to be committed to a psychiatric hospital.
Around the same time the Wikipedia Art project was going on, police in Stockholm, Sweden were [http://www.thelocal.se/17660/20090218/ investigating the case] of an art student who had filmed the vandalism of a subway train as part of his final project for Art School. Another student [http://www.thelocal.se/17268/20090130/ pretended to be be psychotic] and went as far as arranging to be committed to a psychiatric hospital.
The artist who seeks to express his views of society to generate a reaction may resort to many strategies, which may include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:SlimVirgin/Poetgate role-playing], [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=18309 vandalism ] or ideas which are merely [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Shii/Hoaxes&oldid=276937327 creations of the fertile imagination of the Artist]. Of course, many non-artists also use these same strategies for other aims. The question is: how does one tell who is an artist and who is a psychotic, especially in an environment where just about everyone is a pseudonym to begin with?
The artist who seeks to express his views of society to generate a reaction may resort to many strategies, which may include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:SlimVirgin/Poetgate role-playing], [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=18309 vandalism ] or ideas which are merely [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Shii/Hoaxes&oldid=276937327 creations of the fertile imagination of the Artist]. Of course, many non-artists also use these same strategies for other aims. The question is: how does one tell who is an artist and who is a psychotic, especially in an environment where just about everyone is a pseudonym to begin with?
==Wiki-projections and the question of intent==
The answer is: ''you can't'', unless you can know the intent of the person involved. In the Web 2.0 world, where pseudonyms are the rule rather than the exception, you can't know the intent of the person making a given statement, but you can make guesses as to what you think the person might be implying. These types of projections, especially in text-only settings where vocal and facial cues are absent, often lead to conclusions which have more to say about the people making the judgment rather than the speaker.
The answer is: ''you can't'', unless you can know the intent of the person involved. In the Web 2.0 world, where pseudonyms are the rule rather than the exception, you can't know the intent of the person making a given statement, but you can make guesses as to what you think the person might be implying. These types of projections, especially in text-only settings where vocal and facial cues are absent, often lead to conclusions which have more to say about the people making the judgment rather than the speaker.
For example, in [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=23304 this thread on the Wikipedia Review] which discusses an article entitled [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam The Strip Search Prank Call Scam], participants made judgments about the principals in the story based on their personal feelings about the incident, rather than by using the sources or the evidence. Clearly, a great deal of projection as to the intent of the people involved was being generated.
For example, in [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=23304 this thread on the Wikipedia Review] which discusses an article entitled [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam The Strip Search Prank Call Scam], participants made judgments about the principals in the story based on their personal feelings about the incident, rather than by using the sources or the evidence. Clearly, a great deal of projection as to the intent of the people involved was being generated.
This type of emotional judgment of intent is typical of the core group of Wikipedia editors, with all people outside of their behavioral expectations being labeled with the same generic term: <strong>Troll</strong>.
This type of emotional judgment of intent is typical of the core group of Wikipedia editors, with all people outside of their behavioral expectations being labeled with the same generic term: '''Troll'''.
==Positive Trolling for the greater good of Mankind==
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<td><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2799642335_0816a4f213.jpg" alt="A troll and his electric knife" height="200" width="150" /></td>
<td><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2799642335_0816a4f213.jpg" alt="A troll and his electric knife" height="200" width="150" /></td>
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<td class="photocaption A troll and his electric knife.</td>
<td class="photocaption"> A troll and his electric knife.</td>
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QUOTE (Wikipedia, "Electric knife" @ 12/10/07)
QUOTE (Wikipedia, "Electric knife" @ 12/10/07)
''They are also sometimes used for other purposes, such as shaping polyurethane foam rubber to make [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hip_and_buttock_padding&oldid=161678268 hip and buttock padding]''.
Because this particular use of the electric knife was difficult to source and sounded rather odd, a "thoughtful" editor added [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electric_knife&diff=next&oldid=177138881 another use for electric knives] which was easier to source. This was seen as ''trolling'' by other Wikipedia editors, but it did serve to point out that the other information about padding was perhaps not necessary for a general-purpose encyclopedia. While one cannot know whether or not this edit was "artistic", the effect of the edit itself served to underline the true motivations of the initial editor, bringing into light the existence of a hidden agenda. In this sense, it may be seen as an artistic action, whether or not an artistic intent was indeed present, as the result was a reaction from both participants and [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=14505 spectators].
Because this particular use of the electric knife was difficult to source and sounded rather odd, a "thoughtful" editor added [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electric_knife&diff=next&oldid=177138881 another use for electric knives] which was easier to source. This was seen as ''trolling'' by other Wikipedia editors, but it did serve to point out that the other information about padding was perhaps not necessary for a general-purpose encyclopedia. While one cannot know whether or not this edit was "artistic", the effect of the edit itself served to underline the true motivations of the initial editor, bringing into light the existence of a hidden agenda. In this sense, it may be seen as an artistic action, whether or not an artistic intent was indeed present, as the result was a reaction from both participants and [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=14505 spectators].
''There is currently a debate within the intelligentsia and within the population as a whole concerning the worthiness of treating the 'wet-floor sign' as a subject of inquiry, independent of the more general topic of 'signs.' On the one side are those scholars such as the present writer, who view each and every type of sign as a unique contribution to civilization's wealth and security, just as each individual human is perfectly independent of others and is endowed with certain unalienable rights: rights held by the individual, not the collective. These scholars understand the incredible value of a wet-floor sign. A wet-floor sign warns. It teaches. It promotes bilingualism. It enhances the aesthetics of an environment. It prevents injury. It is yellow and has a man falling down on it. On the other side of the debate are those who wish to censor; those who wish to label; those who wish to limit the debate; those who wish limit expression of a person's, an object's individual characteristics. They argue that by knowing what a 'sign' is, we obviously know what a 'wet-floor sign' is. They argue that there is no difference between a sign that proclaims "WET FLOOR" and a sign that proclaims "START LINE HERE." They argue that it is unnecessary to specialize one's knowledge, to understand uniqueness, to consider the small things around us. They argue that 'a sign is a sign, no matter what it says.' This debate continues, and its conclusion will determine humanity's intellectual future.''
''There is currently a debate within the intelligentsia and within the population as a whole concerning the worthiness of treating the 'wet-floor sign' as a subject of inquiry, independent of the more general topic of 'signs.' On the one side are those scholars such as the present writer, who view each and every type of sign as a unique contribution to civilization's wealth and security, just as each individual human is perfectly independent of others and is endowed with certain unalienable rights: rights held by the individual, not the collective. These scholars understand the incredible value of a wet-floor sign. A wet-floor sign warns. It teaches. It promotes bilingualism. It enhances the aesthetics of an environment. It prevents injury. It is yellow and has a man falling down on it. On the other side of the debate are those who wish to censor; those who wish to label; those who wish to limit the debate; those who wish limit expression of a person's, an object's individual characteristics. They argue that by knowing what a 'sign' is, we obviously know what a 'wet-floor sign' is. They argue that there is no difference between a sign that proclaims "WET FLOOR" and a sign that proclaims "START LINE HERE." They argue that it is unnecessary to specialize one's knowledge, to understand uniqueness, to consider the small things around us. They argue that 'a sign is a sign, no matter what it says.' This debate continues, and its conclusion will determine humanity's intellectual future.''
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<td><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/CdeB2.jpg" alt="Lady Catherine Augusta Amelia Gladys de Burgh was a candidate for the ArbCom elections in 2008, until her sudden death" width="199" height="290" /></td>
<td>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/CdeB2.jpg" alt="Lady Catherine Augusta Amelia Gladys de Burgh was a candidate for the ArbCom elections in 2008, until her sudden death</td>
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<td class="photocaption" style="text-align: left; Lady Catherine Augusta Amelia Gladys de Burgh was a candidate for the ArbCom elections in 2008, until her sudden "death".</td>
<td class="photocaption" style="text-align: left; Lady Catherine Augusta Amelia Gladys de Burgh was a candidate for the ArbCom elections in 2008, until her sudden "death".</td>
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Although the author of this gem is unknown, I have always suspected [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Giano_II User: Giano] whose beautifully written prose articles and wonderfully dry sense of humor shine like gems amongst the rest of the ''dreck'' which passes for writing on Wikipedia. He certainly knows [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Catherine_de_Burgh/Catherine_Bonkbuster how to push buttons] without getting indefinitely banned, in spite of being seen as a troll almost universally among the higher cabals of Wikipedia. Giano's greatest achievement was creating the character Lady Catherine de Burgh, whose [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2008/Candidate_statements/Catherine_de_Burgh/Questions_for_the_candidate bid to be elected] to Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee was stopped short by her very untimely death, although not before making some very arch statements:
Although the author of this gem is unknown, I have always suspected [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Giano_II User: Giano] whose beautifully written prose articles and wonderfully dry sense of humor shine like gems amongst the rest of the ''dreck'' which passes for writing on Wikipedia. He certainly knows [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Catherine_de_Burgh/Catherine_Bonkbuster how to push buttons] without getting indefinitely banned, in spite of being seen as a troll almost universally among the higher cabals of Wikipedia. Giano's greatest achievement was creating the character Lady Catherine de Burgh, whose [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2008/Candidate_statements/Catherine_de_Burgh/Questions_for_the_candidate bid to be elected] to Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee was stopped short by her very untimely death, although not before making some very arch statements:
Meanwhile, within the confines of Wikipedia, the mop-wielding administrators will continue to do battle with the unending stream of ''trolls'' until somebody finally pulls the plug on the servers, like so many monks trying to solve an infinite number of unsolvable zen koans. If the administrators would put their mops down for a minute and listen to what the ''trolls'' are saying, perhaps they might learn something.
Meanwhile, within the confines of Wikipedia, the mop-wielding administrators will continue to do battle with the unending stream of ''trolls'' until somebody finally pulls the plug on the servers, like so many monks trying to solve an infinite number of unsolvable zen koans. If the administrators would put their mops down for a minute and listen to what the ''trolls'' are saying, perhaps they might learn something.
==Image credits:==
*Vic Kirilove photos, © Vic Kirilove, all rights reserved, used with permission. [http://www.kirilove.com kirilove.com].
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Comcast2aLR.jpg Comcast Center], photo by User:Photodavid. *[http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekohser/ Troll and Electric Knife, © by Gregory Kohs] all rights reserved, used with permission.
*[http://wikipediaart.org/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Wikipedia_Art.png Wikipedia Art logo], GNU Free Documentation License 1.2
==Comments==
==Comments==
16 Responses to “ In the eye of the beholder ”
===16 Responses to ''In the eye of the beholder''===
Comments RSS
Comments RSS
Barry Kort
====Barry Kort====
Spitting In the Eye of the Bescolder
Spitting In the Eye of the Bescolder
[...] Akahele | In the eye of the beholder (tags: art culture criticism internet wikipedia authorship online intent epistemology) [...]
[...] Akahele | In the eye of the beholder (tags: art culture criticism internet wikipedia authorship online intent epistemology) [...]
Gregory Kohs
====Gregory Kohs====
It may be appropriate at this time for me to take full credit for this artistic edit:
It may be appropriate at this time for me to take full credit for this artistic edit:
Less than 30 hours later, the user account was indefinitely blocked for the crime of “vandalism”. The Wikipedia administrator who issued the block also happens to be a trans-gendered individual (which might suggest a conflict-of-interest surrounding “hip and buttock padding”), but who am I to say?
Less than 30 hours later, the user account was indefinitely blocked for the crime of “vandalism”. The Wikipedia administrator who issued the block also happens to be a trans-gendered individual (which might suggest a conflict-of-interest surrounding “hip and buttock padding”), but who am I to say?
Nihiltres
====Nihiltres====
“If the administrators would put their mops down for a minute and listen to what the trolls are saying, perhaps they might learn something.”
“If the administrators would put their mops down for a minute and listen to what the trolls are saying, perhaps they might learn something.”
P.S.: With all due respect to Mr. Kohs, the picture with the electric knife is hilarious
P.S.: With all due respect to Mr. Kohs, the picture with the electric knife is hilarious
Gregory Kohs
====Gregory Kohs====
Nihiltres is a Wikipedian with whom I’ve sparred (sometimes with less tact than I’d have wished) in various venues on the Internet. However, we have been participating amicably in the Yahoo! Answers forum regarding Wikipedia, for a number of weeks now. I have to say I am building a certain respect for this person, and his 68% “Best Answer” ratio in generating Answers on Yahoo! is simply phenomenal.
Nihiltres is a Wikipedian with whom I’ve sparred (sometimes with less tact than I’d have wished) in various venues on the Internet. However, we have been participating amicably in the Yahoo! Answers forum regarding Wikipedia, for a number of weeks now. I have to say I am building a certain respect for this person, and his 68% “Best Answer” ratio in generating Answers on Yahoo! is simply phenomenal.
If you’re wearing a live chicken on your head, but you insist that it’s a fedora, is it our responsibility to not “disrupt” you from your notions, “behave” ourselves, and try to not be “destructive” in telling you things might not be as they seem to you?
If you’re wearing a live chicken on your head, but you insist that it’s a fedora, is it our responsibility to not “disrupt” you from your notions, “behave” ourselves, and try to not be “destructive” in telling you things might not be as they seem to you?
Paul Wehage
====Paul Wehage====
@Nihiltres, thank you for the compliment about the photo of Mr. Kohs. It’s under his copyright and he very generously agreed to share it with us for the humorous note it gives the article.
@Nihiltres, thank you for the compliment about the photo of Mr. Kohs. It’s under his copyright and he very generously agreed to share it with us for the humorous note it gives the article.
Maybe you need to think about what you’re doing and why because it sure isn’t adding up to “the sum of all human knowledge” with de-facto exclusions such as this.
Maybe you need to think about what you’re doing and why because it sure isn’t adding up to “the sum of all human knowledge” with de-facto exclusions such as this.
Barry Kort
====Barry Kort====
“What’s a reasonable way of dealing with edits designed to be disruptive? What do you suggest is the proper way to react?”
“What’s a reasonable way of dealing with edits designed to be disruptive? What do you suggest is the proper way to react?”
It occurs to me that jumping to a haphazard conclusion about another editor’s intentions is a classic recipe for absurdist drama.
It occurs to me that jumping to a haphazard conclusion about another editor’s intentions is a classic recipe for absurdist drama.
Nihiltres
====Nihiltres====
Rather, I think it is one’s responsibility to not rip the chicken from the person’s head and cook them something like in that picture I found so amusing above. Instead, perhaps merely holding up a mirror will do the trick—if it turns out that the chicken is a pet by the name of Fedora…
Rather, I think it is one’s responsibility to not rip the chicken from the person’s head and cook them something like in that picture I found so amusing above. Instead, perhaps merely holding up a mirror will do the trick—if it turns out that the chicken is a pet by the name of Fedora…
Nihiltres
====Nihiltres====
My previous comment might make less sense than I thought it did, especially in the light of the comments I missed by leaving the window open for a long time. :/
My previous comment might make less sense than I thought it did, especially in the light of the comments I missed by leaving the window open for a long time. :/
*that is, sacrificing those elements which are arguably strengths of Wikipedia, such as open editing. Nupedia’s already been proven to not work.
*that is, sacrificing those elements which are arguably strengths of Wikipedia, such as open editing. Nupedia’s already been proven to not work.
Barry Kort
====Barry Kort====
There are two or three alternative venues that can be used for a serious round-table discussion.
There are two or three alternative venues that can be used for a serious round-table discussion.
Emperor
====Emperor====
Ah the infamous electric knife, with “cheeto-colored beaver teeth”. Good times.
Ah the infamous electric knife, with “cheeto-colored beaver teeth”. Good times.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3ASureFire_M6_Guardian&diff=177094663&oldid=177092001
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3ASureFire_M6_Guardian&diff=177094663&oldid=177092001
Jon Awbrey
====Jon Awbrey====
It appears that Akahele has quickly, all too quickly reached that old Kierkegaardian Either-Or — it will have to choose Either the response of the conversional aesthete, running the mill from effete to hysterical, Or it will have to convert the moral outrage that is our due into the concerted action that it will take to ameliorate, not celebrate the Absurd.
It appears that Akahele has quickly, all too quickly reached that old Kierkegaardian Either-Or — it will have to choose Either the response of the conversional aesthete, running the mill from effete to hysterical, Or it will have to convert the moral outrage that is our due into the concerted action that it will take to ameliorate, not celebrate the Absurd.
Paul Wehage
====Paul Wehage====
Shouldn’t one first try to examine the underlying patterns and reactions to THE ABSURD in order to find the underlying meaning in all of this? If you haven’t defined the problem, you certainly can’t solve it. An examination of intent seems to be necessary in understanding the dynamics.
Shouldn’t one first try to examine the underlying patterns and reactions to THE ABSURD in order to find the underlying meaning in all of this? If you haven’t defined the problem, you certainly can’t solve it. An examination of intent seems to be necessary in understanding the dynamics.
Jon Awbrey
====Jon Awbrey====
Re: “An examination of intent seems to be necessary in understanding the dynamics.”
Re: “An examination of intent seems to be necessary in understanding the dynamics.”
Just how long do you plan on staring at this particular cobra before you do that?
Just how long do you plan on staring at this particular cobra before you do that?
Paul Wehage
====Paul Wehage====
Well, Mr. Awbrey, why don’t you write a piece about what should be happening? We’re going to be opening up to other contributors pretty soon…
Well, Mr. Awbrey, why don’t you write a piece about what should be happening? We’re going to be opening up to other contributors pretty soon…
Violet Vernon
====Violet Vernon====
If I had a nickel for every time I came to akahele.org! Great read!
If I had a nickel for every time I came to akahele.org! Great read!
