Why is the emergent process of creating Wikipedia convergent?

· Bits and Bobs 6/22/26
  • Why is the emergent process of creating Wikipedia convergent?
    • Because there's only one article on each topic.
    • There's a zero-sum thing to fight over.
    • If you want a given perspective represented on the target article, you'll have to engage in debate with the other people with opposing views and make a stronger case to win out.
    • Debate is hard, so all else equal, people tend towards territory that is unowned, to avoid having to fight.
    • This leads to diffusion by default: default-divergence.
    • But if there's a scarce resource that you have to fight over, then it pulls you into it and forces you to debate.
    • The debate leads to a high-quality outcome.

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