User:FFodor

Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I'm Frederick Fodor (Fred for short). I've been a Wikipedia consumer for almost two years and I thought I try and give something back to Wikipedia by taking a more active role.

Like everyone else, I too have a biography, a worldview, sexual orientation, ethnicity, political orientation and collection of values. However, I won't share these as I think they are irrelevant. A good Wikipedia editor should be able to render these influences neutral when editing an article. The role of the Wikipedia editor is not to advocate, editorialise, persuade, promote or market but rather to report and to substantiate the reportage.

I am concerned about the polemical and editorialised style of many of the articles I have read. The personal biases of a Wikipedia editor shouldn't be discernible from a reading of an article. I acknowldge that we all have biases but the good editor is distinguished by his/her ability to "bracket" these biases and simply report on the matter giving fair and representative balance of all pertinent views. A particularly disturbing trend (?) I have observed is the use of Wikipedia as a "soap box", a forum in which to promote and attempt to normalize marginal theories, practices, and worldviews. This style of editing is inimical to Wikipedia being received as a credible encyclopedic work. I hope to address this matter in a civil and fairminded manner that is consistent with Wikipedia policy and ideals.

I have professional expertise in a few of the topics I hope to contribute to, the others I have either received formal training but have not practiced or I am entirely self-taught. Whatever the case it shouldn't matter. I expect my edits to be received and assessed on their own merits and with reference to Wikipedia policy. My editorial activity will reveal which Wikipedia articles I believe are lacking.

I am always open to persuasion so if you don't agree with me please try and persuade me with evidence, a good argument and reference to Wikipedia policy. -FFodor 10:22, 8 July 2006 (UTC)

-=Fred=-