In which we learn Jimmy Wales doesn't really believe in anything
Is Jimmy Wales the sole founder of Wikipedia? Not really. Did he run a porn site in the 1990s? Pretty much. Does he believe Wikipedia should be restrictive or inclusive in its choice of subjects? Both or neither. Is he a follower of Ayn Rand? Not a particularly good one. These are the muddled truths we learn from a profile of Wales in the Economist. The one absolute verity in the article:
That Wikipedia has gone to Wales's head. "[He] has created something of a mythology about himself,” a former friend tells the Economist. “The image he created is that he is this benevolent millionaire who donates his time for this charitable project; that is not true.” At last, one true not-true thing about Jimmy Wales: the self-proclaimed "monarch" of Wikipedia may want you to think he's joking about his regal ambitions, but he's not. (Illustration by Andy Potts for the Economist)