Wiki as a mentor

In the ancient days of china, knowledge and skills are usually learned through the guidance of a master. There are many stories about scholars and pugilists who will travel deep in the mountains to find a good master.

During the apprenticeship, the master will impart his skills and knowledge to the disciples and guide them on the way of life. Therefore there is an idiom "A day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father" to illustrate the deep respect for the teacher in the chinese way of life.

However the master will usually pick his top disciple and impart the most advanced skills to his chosen successors. And perhaps this is one reason many valuable skills are lost today.

The wiki or the web definitely offers a better solution in the spreading of knowledge. However, with the availability of tools like search engine, most of us will be more independent in our course of work, thereby reducing the opportunities for fostering of strong relationships.

Nevertheless I feel that explicit knowledge should be recorded on wiki and relationships can still be fostered through other courses of work like guidance. We should not replace the role of a mentor with a wiki.