the appeal of this idea is as old as the web itself - early browsers were as much for editing content as displaying content. [1] this is an important idea to keep in mind when thinking about the growth of a new medium - having the tools to manipulate that medium widely accessible gives the medium a better chance of encouraging interesting content. [2] the central argument against all this mind melding is that the most interesting content isn't necessarily the smartest content[3]. Which isn't to say that it can't be[4].
[2] The merits of impressionism aside, it would have been an improbable development without (relatively cheap) tubed oil paints. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_paint
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldWideWeb
[2] The merits of impressionism aside, it would have been an improbable development without (relatively cheap) tubed oil paints. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_paint
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_bias
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo_journalism