> it is arguable that the scientific community might be even more
> susceptible than the population at large.
It is far safer in the middle of the herd and when the career workers,
most of whom are very honest and hard working, see what happens to those
who get on the edge or separate from the herd, they quickly find safer
topics to research, closer to the consensus. (Speaking of consensus,
Juanse must be very busy because he did not yet rise to the "hockey
stick" mention:)
I don't hold it against those who decide to let someone else tackle the
hot potatoes -- no matter how important those matters may be -- because
if they don't have a job or a lab, they can't contribute.
However, there are some who decide to pay the price of fearless
exploration, let the chips fall where they may, and suffer the
consequences. I salute them. I think we know some of them personally.
They manage to carve out a niche and even prosper, but at night, sitting
alone by their personal campfire, they have to fight off the wolves alone.
And then, there are a few with the charm, the charisma and the creds to
take on the issues no one else dares even notice from the corner of the
eye -- and survive. I think we know some of them personally.
The pursuit of truth has always been a hazardous personal journey and
today, for all our societies pretenses, nothing has changed.
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