Week15 - I read Chapter 6 again 'The Benevolent Dictator' - Jo HyeonSeong (조현성)

  1. Summarize in my your own words of materials that I read

 Chapter 6: The Benevolent Dictator explains that even in open communities like Wikipedia, where spontaneity and democratic discussion are the foundation, sometimes a form of leadership like a “benevolent dictator” emerges, which plays a vital role in the efficient operation of the entire community. Reagle calls this leadership “authorial leadership,” which is the personal authority of founders or major contributors, and a way to make decisions faster than consensus or voting.

 Jimmy Wales, for example, played a leading role in quickly mediating, enforcing policies, and responding to bad actors when the community was in turmoil. However, this authority can easily be intertwined with anxiety about abuse of power. In fact, Wales jokingly used terms like “cabal” and “shadow elite,” which drew backlash from the community, and later corrected himself to say, “There are no elites in Wikipedia. All legitimate participants should be able to contribute equally.” 

 Ultimately, Reagle suggests that such leadership requires strategies such as maintaining transparency, self-regulation through irony and humor, and using authority in a justifiable way (exercising power only to defend bad-faith users) to ensure that it does not conflict with the community's values ​​(openness, spontaneity, and de-authoritarianism).

2. Mention of any new, interesting, or unusual items that I learned through lecture.

 First, I thought that the fact that someone is coordinating behind the principle of “anyone can edit” can be a refreshing realization for beginners. Wikipedia aims for thorough autonomy and openness, but in reality, when the community falls into chaos or malicious actors appear, people like Jimbo Wales intervene like a “benevolent dictator” to restore order. This shows that invisible leadership exists even in communities that seem to run on their own, and raises an interesting question for beginners, “Who makes and maintains policies?” 

 Second, it was interesting that leadership operates based on “trust” and “empathy” rather than “power.” Jimbo sometimes reveals his influence as a joke, but he uses humor and self-reflection to coordinate so that it does not threaten the identity or equality of the community. This is different from traditional hierarchical leadership, and makes beginners feel the possibility that “leaders in Wikipedia do not necessarily have to be administrators or experts, but can be anyone who is trusted.” This could be an opportunity to make Wikipedia editing more meaningful than just changing information.

3. Identify at least one question, concern, or discussion angle that is either problematic in some respect or could have been elaborated more.

 Chapter 6 offers some interesting areas for critical thinking. For example, the question **“Is full autonomy and openness actually possible?”** forces us to face the reality that the principle of “anyone can edit” that Wikipedia advocates is sometimes limited by the judgment of certain individuals or groups of administrators in the actual operation process. This is a good starting point for examining the tension between collaboration and effective decision-making.

 Also, the question **“How is leadership in online communities legitimized?”** contrasts Wikipedia’s leadership, which is formed through trust, contribution, and community support rather than hierarchical authority, with traditional power structures. This topic allows us to discuss the various ways in which authority is formed, its sustainability, and how leadership can be balanced with community values.

 I think these issues will be useful for exploring more deeply the concepts that are increasingly important in modern society, such as digital communities, self-organization, and collaborative culture.