The Jordan Harbinger Show 1251: Jimmy Wales | Building Trust the Wikipedia Way
13 snips
Dec 4, 2025 
Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and advocate for open knowledge, explores the crucial theme of trust in a polarized world. He highlights how Wikipedia's success stems from fostering enjoyable contributions and the vital mindset of 'assume good faith.' Jimmy discusses the importance of transparency in building trust, particularly for organizations, and offers insights on handling contentious topics without eroding credibility. He encourages aspiring builders to start small and embrace failure as part of the learning journey.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Make Contribution Enjoyable
- Wikipedia succeeded when it made contribution enjoyable by switching to a wiki model that let anyone edit.
- Jimmy Wales says that change produced more work in two weeks than two years of the old approach.
Intrinsic Rewards Drive Volunteers
- Volunteers don't work 'for free' — they need intrinsic rewards like fun, community, and purpose.
- Wales attributes Wikipedia's success to people enjoying the process and connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
Check Talk Pages For Leads
- Use Wikipedia's talk pages to find unresolved issues and story leads before interviewing sources.
- Wales tells journalists to read talk pages to spot contradictions and questions worth asking.