Conservatives have done so much damage by somehow convincing (tens of?) millions of people that academia is like organized crime or some shit. Like they’re shaking down pharmaceutical companies, and lying about research for extra cash on the side. It’s so fucking stupid.
I think part of the problem is there are real fraud issues in academia and research, but your average American is woefully, what I’d call aggressively, science illiterate. Since they aren’t familiar with even the basics behind processes like funding and peer review, their personal narrative seems to substitute whatever kinds of fraud they’re already familiar with, generally theft or bribes, despite it making no goddamn sense.
Even worse, they’re conditioned to be actively hostile towards it. Despite taking advantage of the fruits of all that research on a daily basis without even thinking twice about it.
So many of them take it as a personal affront if anyone even suggests that they might know more than them about something.
As a scientist, my colleagues and I are still waiting for our bribes.
Conservatives have done so much damage by somehow convincing (tens of?) millions of people that academia is like organized crime or some shit. Like they’re shaking down pharmaceutical companies, and lying about research for extra cash on the side. It’s so fucking stupid.
I think part of the problem is there are real fraud issues in academia and research, but your average American is woefully, what I’d call aggressively, science illiterate. Since they aren’t familiar with even the basics behind processes like funding and peer review, their personal narrative seems to substitute whatever kinds of fraud they’re already familiar with, generally theft or bribes, despite it making no goddamn sense.
Even worse, they’re conditioned to be actively hostile towards it. Despite taking advantage of the fruits of all that research on a daily basis without even thinking twice about it.
So many of them take it as a personal affront if anyone even suggests that they might know more than them about something.
As a prof, can I have a bit on the side?
Absolutely, you can have half of whatever I get!