 | This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page in a nutshell: It is better to light a candle for someone than to curse them in their darkness. |
One of the reasons the Wikipedia project is successful is that its fundamental structure makes it easy for volunteers to retain useful contributions and discard destructive changes. Over time that improves the quality of most articles. This general trend does not necessarily hold true for every specific article. A small number of destructive people do disrupt particular pages. Wikipedia's methods for addressing these problems are effective when used well.
Editors who are expert in a particular field may be new to Wikipedia and unfamiliar with site procedures. This can be jarring if someone accustomed to a measure of professional deference has the bad luck of encountering a problematic editor soon after joining the project. An understanding of Wikipedia dynamics helps to maximize productive results.