Wikipedia

In the case of Wikipedia, the ideals of postmodernism are clearly found in the nature and substance of the content. Wikipedia is an informational web site where users can access general and specific information on almost any topic. The site works by gathering what they refer to as “consensus-based knowledge” (Potash 62-69), meaning that the site does not claim to provide objective truth, but a neutral point of view, which can be subject to interpretation by the individual. The idea of Kitsch can be clearly seen as the site is built upon information by consensus collected from sources only verified to exist, not to be credible. As an information source built on subjective input and not absolute truth, Wikipedia is the ultimate result of postmodernism thinking as it is an information resource constructed on the ideals of relativism and not the concept of absolute truth and fact. Like Warhol’s art and The Unbearable Likeness of Being, Wikipedia promotes and typifies the ideals of Postmodernism by encouraging the search for objective truth through the collection of massive amounts of subjective data. All of the information offered on the site, regardless of the subject matter, is subject to the bias of those inputting the information and the subjective opinions and interpretations of those reading the information.  The nature of knowledge is such that if requires factual belief that is obtained through reason, observation, and testimony of others. As many of the factors that influence knowledge, particularly testimony of others, are subjective, it is difficult to make an argument for the existence of objective facts. Some argue that encyclopedic knowledge is more acccurate than web based knowledge, but in theory they are both prone to error as both are derived from some subjective opinion and interpretation, which taints the objectivity with some level of bias.