User:Savlonn

/sandbox;

A little info about me
I'm a male Aussie based in the UK, and have broad interests in Philosophy, Sciences and Motorsport. I used to compete in Rallying. I am a Rationalist and an Atheist.

I am more interested in reading than editing Wikipedia, though my passion for ensuring a NPOV has driven me to become an active participant. I take my hat off to other editors who are also participating in articles that they otherwise would have no interest at all in, purely because of their belief in ensuring the neutrality of an article.

I wish that Wikipedia would be easier to edit for non-techies, so that I could insert the logos and graphics representing my interests that I see on other user pages.


 * Thanks a to a kind editor (see talk page) I have now figured out how to get the logos working. However, my point above still stands: I think the entire user interface is just way to 'techie', and actst to filter out contributions from non non IT proficient users. --Savlonn (talk) 18:29, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

One year on: some thoughts in particlar around being involved in the 'Prem Rawat' biography.
It was a year ago today (June 8, 2008) that I registered an account on Wikipedia, after editing for a few months as an IP address. When deciding on a username I looked around my desk and noticed a tube of Savlon antiseptic. At the time, the talk page of 'Prem Rawat' had become quite septic indeed, so I chose this username as appropriate for my wish to act in an antiseptic capacity. The system wouldn't let me choose 'Salvon', as it complained the name was too similar to another registered account, so I added another 'n' on the end, and here I am.

As I write, there is a debate occuring around disclosure of interest around articles related to Prem Rawat. As I had never heard of him until last year I certainly don't have any potential conflict of interests to disclose. However, in the interests of openess, I would like to provide some more background about myself and how I became involved with the Prem Rawat biography.


 * I am a Management Consultant with a background in IT. I first heard of Prem Rawat in 2008 when I read a controversial article posted in The Register, a UK based, tabloid style online IT news site. Though the article was blatantly sensationalist, I decided to have a look at the subject and make up my own mind as regards the claims, having recently become a Wikipedia editor.


 * I gave myself a brief history lesson on the life of Prem Rawat from decent sources and realised that the Wikipedia biography at the time just simply wasn't anywhere near neutral; it did not reflect the practical reality of key aspects of Prem Rawat's life. In particular it was very stifled; weighted towards narrow, academic material. It was missing many of the controversial aspects of Prem Rawat's youth and movement that were responsible for much of his notability, and which are found in high quality, reliable mainstream sources.


 * As such, I started getting involved in the discussions, with aim of helping to improve the article through making it more neutral and realistic. I am aware that I am not an expert in this field, as so have limited myself to discussing general points for which I feel I am competent to provide input. In fact, the majority of my Wikipedia article contributions have around other topics such as the Clapham Junction rail crash; I have mostly restricted my Prem Rawat involvement to the talk pages.


 * On a final note, as you will see I have recently discovered (with some help) how to put box tags on my user page; and have started with two around English being my native language, and being an atheist. Whilst my world view is based on reason and rationalism, I strongly support the right of people to believe what they wish, as long as a) it does no harm to others and b) they don't attempt to use refuted scientific or pseudo-scientific claims to support their beliefs. --Savlonn (talk) 14:52, 8 July 2009 (UTC)

Another year on - time to bow out of "Prem Rawat"
July 2010

I had never heard of Prem Rawat before a sensationalist article about him appeard in “The Register” a UK tabloid IT journal. I’m not one to have “knee jerk” reactions, but to commit myself to any cause I feel is worth following. I made a commitment to contribute to the “Prem Rawat” article with the goal of working towards eliminating the then pro Rawat ownership of the article and work towards a neutral article that provides a realistic biography of Prem Rawat.

My first objective was to use reasoned argument to discredit those that at that time had a strong, biased hold on the article content. The elimination of Jossi Fresco as a participant was a sad but necessary checkpoint in achieving that goal.

I can now clearly see that that the “Prem Rawat” article has excellent governance and will not be “owned” again by any one party. As such, the time has come for me to bow out of regular participation. As I have openly stated previously, I am an atheist and have very little interest in anything to do with spiritual based topics. I was not prepared to do the necessary research required to qualify myself for extensive technical input into the subject and as such kept my participation to the peripheral level.

I have recently noticed a genuine and positive mellowing of the positions of many participants on both sides of the debate, with the exception of one participant. In my opinion, the article is still too bland and biased towards the “Premie” camp, but I am sure that future inclusion of the “cult” nature of his following and photos of his Malibu mansion as examples of his ostentatious luxury as described by many reliable sources will serve to produce a more neutral article.