4 ms·

Elon Musk and the right's war on Wikipedia

41 points by throw0101d 1y ago

ChrisArchitect 1y ago
Article from January. A few days ago: The right wing is coming for Wikipedia https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45427474 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45427474
- josefresco 1y ago
  [flagged]
cowboylowrez 1y ago
[flagged]
- ordu 1y ago
  While he was a bulshitter who pumped money out of investors, he looked like an interesting guy, a sort of engineering cowboy. But now his bullshit is directed on getting power, money is not enough for him, he needs a political influence. So, yes, it looks pretty ugly.
- electriclove 1y ago
  Instead of reading about him, try listening to him speak or reading what we writes. You might still not like him but at least it isn’t because someone told you to not like him.
  - Balinares 1y ago
    Sure, but maybe OP doesn't want to come to dislike Musk THAT much.
  - sieep 1y ago
    Maybe ten years ago...but he kept opening his mouth so here we are.
  - cowboylowrez 1y ago
    yes yes I get it, I'm one of the easily manipulated npcs who simply support the current thing. is that a satisfactory reply from your point of view?
m_dupont 1y ago
I think there is some room for debate here about the political bias of wikipedia, and there is some evidence to suggest a left wing bias. However this article is pretty venomous and the author doesn't even make an attempt at masking their disdain for the other side. It's not written in good faith. I'd prefer if someone shared a more cool-headed article on the subject
- jauntywundrkind 1y ago
  This article shows various people working with some obviously quite bad people doing bad things in extremely bad faith. I don't think there's any cause to be polite or graceful, to people being so vulgarly hostile, especially to something so amazing & good.
- glonq 1y ago
  Yeah, I do see where you're coming from. But just like with traditional media, Wikipedia as a "knowledge commons" maybe requires a slight left bias to guard against entrenched power and to raise awareness of marginalized perspectives. As long as that's done in a way that protects knowledge integrity and relies on reliable sources and ethical review, I think I'm okay with that. Also keep in mind that the age range of Wikipedia contributors skews much younger than the US population so yeah for boomers and the boomer-minded it's often gonna seem too progressive.
k310 1y ago
Behind all the smoke and pyrotechnics: > Although many on the right, including Musk, have styled themselves as valiant defenders of free speech, their actions expose them as opposite: only willing to defend speech they find agreeable, while hostile towards and desperate to clamp down on criticism or opposing views. It's 100% hypocrisy. Moderation is the mark of a civil forum. I only peruse two, including HN. I have no time or attention to give to unchecked lies and hate speech.
Mr_Eri_Atlov 1y ago
Damn, I can't believe that after purchasing and consolidating every TV station, media network, and TikTok under republican control, they are suddenly threatened by Wikipedia.

41 points by throw0101d 1y ago

Article from January. A few days ago: The right wing is coming for Wikipedia https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45427474 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45427474

josefresco 1y ago
[flagged]

cowboylowrez 1y ago

[flagged]

ordu 1y ago
While he was a bulshitter who pumped money out of investors, he looked like an interesting guy, a sort of engineering cowboy. But now his bullshit is directed on getting power, money is not enough for him, he needs a political influence. So, yes, it looks pretty ugly.
electriclove 1y ago
Instead of reading about him, try listening to him speak or reading what we writes. You might still not like him but at least it isn’t because someone told you to not like him.
- Balinares 1y ago
  Sure, but maybe OP doesn't want to come to dislike Musk THAT much.
- sieep 1y ago
  Maybe ten years ago...but he kept opening his mouth so here we are.
- cowboylowrez 1y ago
  yes yes I get it, I'm one of the easily manipulated npcs who simply support the current thing. is that a satisfactory reply from your point of view?

m_dupont 1y ago

I think there is some room for debate here about the political bias of wikipedia, and there is some evidence to suggest a left wing bias. However this article is pretty venomous and the author doesn't even make an attempt at masking their disdain for the other side. It's not written in good faith. I'd prefer if someone shared a more cool-headed article on the subject

jauntywundrkind 1y ago
This article shows various people working with some obviously quite bad people doing bad things in extremely bad faith. I don't think there's any cause to be polite or graceful, to people being so vulgarly hostile, especially to something so amazing & good.
glonq 1y ago
Yeah, I do see where you're coming from. But just like with traditional media, Wikipedia as a "knowledge commons" maybe requires a slight left bias to guard against entrenched power and to raise awareness of marginalized perspectives. As long as that's done in a way that protects knowledge integrity and relies on reliable sources and ethical review, I think I'm okay with that. Also keep in mind that the age range of Wikipedia contributors skews much younger than the US population so yeah for boomers and the boomer-minded it's often gonna seem too progressive.

k310 1y ago

Behind all the smoke and pyrotechnics: > Although many on the right, including Musk, have styled themselves as valiant defenders of free speech, their actions expose them as opposite: only willing to defend speech they find agreeable, while hostile towards and desperate to clamp down on criticism or opposing views. It's 100% hypocrisy. Moderation is the mark of a civil forum. I only peruse two, including HN. I have no time or attention to give to unchecked lies and hate speech.

Mr_Eri_Atlov 1y ago

Damn, I can't believe that after purchasing and consolidating every TV station, media network, and TikTok under republican control, they are suddenly threatened by Wikipedia.