 | 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. |
Single-purpose editors are a fact of life in Wikipedia. Some editors who have been so described are among the most valued and respected editors Wikipedia has, particularly those who contribute material where they are able to apply their expertise.
Others fall somewhere beyond being simply an obvious POV pusher but may not have a clear financial or other conflict of interest. These editors can be a big problem for Wikipedia. This essay is about the self-appointed prophet. The self-appointed prophet has an entrenched viewpoint when it comes to certain articles or a subject within articles, and sometimes entire ranges of subject matter. The articles become the target for edits slanted toward reflecting personal bias(es), original research, fringe/pseudoscientific viewpoints, and promotional advocacy. This can take the form either of additions or deletion of material and/or entire articles. It can be as simple as distaste for a widely used term, or as complex as adopting a gestalt that differs in peculiar ways from the mainstream understanding of related subjects. The self-appointed prophet is relentless in (re)inserting their personal "truth" into articles.