Wikipedia has recently captured my imagination and I'm finding myself constantly referring to articles that I've read on the site during conversations with friends. What I find so fascinating about the site is that virtually any topic can be covered - not just topics that have perceived academic merit by those in authority - in the areas of popular culture and counterculture. The article on leet is one of my favorites since it describes a linguistic phenomenon many would consider silly in an intelligent and thought provoking manner. I've also seen several examples where a writer points out a reference to a particular topic on an episode of The Simpsons, a television show rich with satire and cultural references in an unassuming medium.
To summarize my thoughts Wikipedia:counterculture::traditional encyclopedias:popular culture. Discuss.