[lbo-talk] Left Words for Wiki Along With My Contribution

andie nachgeborenen andie_nachgeborenen at yahoo.com
Sat Dec 19 16:05:28 PST 2009


Some of you have probbaly noticed that Wikipedia is appealing for money and soliticing comments and stories. I didn't have any stories worth telling, although like everyone else I use Wiki all the time (not for legal research! though), but I gave them money and the following comment:

Wikipedia stands for the principle that no one owns knowledge, that people cooperating voluntarily and without external incentives (such as greed or fear) can produce a public good useful to all of a caliber as high if not higher than commercially driven and created sources -- not merely in accuracy but in accessibility of use and excellence of design. Wikipedia is living refutation of those who assert that wide-scale, complex, long-term cooperation by a large number people working on a very large enterprise requires hierarchy, subordination, authoritative supervision, or motivation by money or even less savory incentives. In many ways it's not too much of an exaggaration that the Wiki principle exemplifies the animating principle of a different kind of society, and by Wiki's persistence and longevity shows that a cooperative order is not a utopian fantasy, but as real as your computer and as close as the Wiki URL. Thanks, Jimmy! And all of you whose

work, unrewarded except by the knowledge that it is constructive, well done, and helpful, make this project possible. Meanwhile, here's my financial contribution. XXX XXX, National Lawyers Guild

Which may come as a surprise to some of you who know my Hayekina market socialist views, but I believe this too, and think they're consistent.

Anyway, I'd encourage all who can afford to contribute money and stories or similar inspiration.

Andie



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