Wikipedia aka The Last Resource You Will Ever Need

Google Wikipedia.  Here is what comes up first

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

So class, does it seem like a good idea to only use Wikipedia as a source of information when asked a question?  Yes, if the answer doesn't really matter and you are ok with the fact a moron may have messed with the information  you are looking at. 

2 separate events in the past month.  

First, I was trying to determine if a drug company that is overseas is a good investment as their "big break" is on the horizon.  They use to administer a drug in the USA that has now been banned (this by the way, is their big break happening overseas).  I approached a friend of a friend pharmacist (smart folks, right?) and the response I got from him was just a copy of the Wikipedia page on said company.  Super helpful....(by the way, we didn't recommend this investment cuz we is smart)

Second, when asking an attorney about a certain state's homestead exemption,  he copy and pasted the Wikipedia information regarding this topic (kind-of).  Oh ok....thanks Esquire.  

So why even attend upper education?  Who can afford it anyway?  Wikipedia has everything we would ever need!! Problem solved - go on vaca Obama.

So when is it appropriate to use Wikipedia?  When you have no idea what a GIF is and your brother-in-law uses the term twice in an email. When is it not appropriate to use Wikipedia?  When having to make an irrevocable life decision.  Make sense?  Good.  (Us Financial Planners have to be real good teachers)

Jess

PS. Both the pharmacist and attorney are over 50.  When the AARP cards are issued, I guess they also need to hand out a "How to use the World Wide Web" card.  

PSS.  That was a harsh generalization that I kind of feel bad about but not really since my parents aren't 50...yet :)