Real Talk with Zuby #397 Larry Sanger - Wikipedia’s Co-Founder Wants To Destroy It
Jan 9, 2026
Zuby sits down with Larry Sanger, the co-founder of Wikipedia and president of the Knowledge Standards Foundation. Larry shares his vision for Wikipedia and discusses the biases he sees in its current state, emphasizing the need for true neutrality. He argues that Wikipedia's centralized power limits diverse viewpoints and suggests that a decentralized 'encyclosphere' could offer broader perspectives. The conversation touches on the challenges of reforming established platforms and the importance of transparency among editors.
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Wikipedia Drifted From Its Original Vision
- Larry Sanger argues Wikipedia failed his vision of a neutral, big-tent encyclopedia and now reflects a narrow elite Western outlook.
- That entrenched perspective sidelines billions of differing worldviews and skews coverage on hot-button topics.
Yahweh Article Example
- Sanger gives the Yahweh article as an example where Wikipedia presents one academic theory as fact about a living faith.
- He says this misrepresents what billions of believers understand about their God.
Neutrality Means Attributing Views
- Neutral entries should attribute beliefs to their owners and present multiple perspectives rather than asserting contested claims as facts.
- A neutral encyclopedia equips readers to decide for themselves by summarizing diverse traditions and sources.