Chapter 11; Shirky; Wisdom of Crowds

I would caution them to double-check the source itself. Crowds can be very persuasive. People generally like to get along with one another and be included; sometimes though, you have to step back and use your own thought and judgement to make sure that whatever you are taking part in or whoever you are taking advice from is aligned with your philosophies. Take for instance the infamous "kool-aid" incident...those people just went along with whatever Jim Jones and everybody else there was doing without logically thinking through it. Now granted, that is an extreme example, but it does point out the danger of going along with everybody else and not thinking for yourself. However, one the other hand, when you are a part of a good crowd that is interested in benefitting eachother and somehow adding value to society, amazing things can be accomplished! Take for instance groups who form to raise money for cancer by participating in marathons. The overall objective of the group is adding value to society and doing good for people who are sick: it's a pretty safe bet that gathering information from a "Walk for Leukemia" website is going to be a healthy place to speak with others and gather information concerning this topic. However, even in groups that do good, it is always best to re-evaluate and think for yourself. Sometimes people get so caught up in something that it can impair their better judgement. We are given our reasoning skills and judgement so that we can not only help ourselves, but also help others.
When looking to a socialized website or resource, I would pay attention to the values, philosophies and objectives of the group in general and I would especially pay attention to thier overall repuatation. Reputations are often very telling.