“The world's become so horrifying now. It's too easy to become cynical about things and that's not fair and it doesn't work. And in fact, there is hope for the world. And it is in the form of Wikipedia. Now, Wikipedia will save us all. I found this out when recently a friend of mine emailed me and he said that someone had created a Wikipedia entry about me. I didn't realize this was true, so I looked it up. And like most Wikipedia entries, it came with some flamboyant surprises, not least amongst them my name. Because in it it said my name was John Cornelius Oliver. Now my middle name is not Cornelius because I did not die in 1752. But obviously, I want it to be. Cornelius is an incredible name. And that's when it hit me — the way the world is now, fiction has become more attractive than fact. That is why Wikipedia is such a vital resource. It's a way of us completely rewriting our history to give our children and our children's children a much better history to grow up with. We seem to have no intention of providing them with a future. Let's at least give them a past. It is in a very real sense the least we can do.”

— John Oliver

John Oliver: Terrifying Times (2008)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Sept. 14, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The world's become so horrifying now. It's too easy to become cynical about things and that's not fair and it doesn't w…" by John Oliver?

John Oliver 16

English comedian 1977

Related quotes

“If I want to say he didn't that's my right, and now, thanks to Wikipedia — it's also a fact.”

Stephen Colbert (1964) American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor

On the ownership of slaves by George Washington, on The Colbert Report (31 July 2006).

“I despise Wikipedia. I loathe Wikipedia. I'm appalled by Wikipedia. I use it throughout the day.”

Lee Siegel (1945) American academic

The Virtual Revolution, episode 1: "The Great Levelling?" (BBC2, 30 January 2010). Quoted in Tim Dowling, "Mo; The Virtual Revolution" http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/jan/31/mo-virtual-revolution-tv-review, guardian.co.uk (31 January 2010).

“Solomon: Your entry in Wikipedia says that your work has inspired many students to begin careers in computing and artificial intelligence.
Hofstadter: I have no interest in computers. The entry is filled with inaccuracies, and it kind of depresses me.
Solomon: So fix it.
Hofstadter: The next day someone will fix it back.”

Douglas Hofstadter (1945) American professor of cognitive science

Quoted in Deborah Solomon, "The Mind Reader," http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01wwlnQ4.t.html New York Times (2007-04-01)

“I wish to hearby announce that Wikipedia represents the highest, greatest, achievements of human life to date. I shall henceforth replace the phrase "the greatest thing since sliced bread" with the phrase "the greatest thing since Wikipedia." That is so long as what it posts about me is accurate or at least inaccurately extremely flattering.”

Jonah Goldberg (1969) American political writer and pundit

( June 16, 2005 http://web.archive.org/web/20050617/corner.nationalreview.com/05_06_12_corner-archive.asp#066356)
2000s, 2005

“I don't really agree that most academics frown when they hear Wikipedia. Most academics I find quite passionate about the concept of Wikipedia and like it quite a bit. […] The number of academics who really really don't like Wikipedia is really quite small and we find that they get reported on in the media far out of proportion to the amount they actually exist.”

Jimmy Wales (1966) Wikipedia co-founder and American Internet entrepreneur

Wikimania 2008 Alexandria, press conference, 0'14 (August 2008)

“Wikipedia is the first place I go when I'm looking for knowledge… or when I want to create some.”

Stephen Colbert (1964) American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor

“Greatest misconception about Wikipedia: We aren’t democratic. Our readers edit the entries, but we’re actually quite snobby. The core community appreciates when someone is knowledgeable, and thinks some people are idiots and shouldn’t be writing.”

Jimmy Wales (1966) Wikipedia co-founder and American Internet entrepreneur

Source: The Encyclopedist’s Lair, The New York Times, November 18, 2007, 2007-11-19 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/magazine/18wwln-domains-t.html?ex=1196139600&en=25f7b166ceba3519&ei=5070&emc=eta1,

“Unlike the Wikipedia editor stereotype, Wadewitz was not a young male who was tech-obsessed. Still she found Wikipedia appealing as a way to spread her academic knowledge, which was sometimes seen by few, whereas her encyclopedic entries might be read by millions.”

Adrianne Wadewitz (1977–2014) academic and Wikipedian

Michelle Broder Van Dyke (April 21, 2014). "Prolific Wikipedia Editor Adrianne Wadewitz Dies After Rock Climbing Accident" http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/prolific-wikipedia-editor-adrianne-wadewitz-dies-after-rock. BuzzFeed.
About

“Wikipedia biases in my entry (just as one example) which it prevents being corrected. It is re-colonizing Indians.”

Rajiv Malhotra (1950) Indian-American entrepreneur and author

Rajiv Malhotra on Twitter on 8 Aug 2013 https://twitter.com/RajivMessage/status/365573091662901251

“Julian: “Wikipedia knows about everything. It might be run by warlocks.”
Emma: “You think that’s what they do all day in the Spiral Labyrinth? Run Wikipedia?”
Julian: “I admit it seems like a letdown.”

Cassandra Clare book Lord of Shadows

Source: Lord of Shadows

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

John Oliver 16

Related quotes

Related topics