Oddbean new post about login | logout Are there intellectually curious, ethical researchers left? Of course. But to make a name for yourself in academia and research these days your politics better align with your university, or your company, AND your sponsors. I have been shocked by things my friends in academia have admitted in the last 10-15 years about their grant writing and how they have had to “evolve” to get funding.
That’s depressing. I have several medical professionals in my immediate family and they all practice rural health, and so I probably have a bias from being around them.
Very depressing! I’m sure your family members just want to help people with their knowledge and the skills they have learned. There lies the problem. For example, my husband and I believed in the benefits of fluoride for the 27 years we practiced dentistry. When patients asked us if they should drink fluoridated water, did we research it? No. We spouted off what we were taught in dental school which is fluoridated water prevents tooth decay. Why were we never taught that the fluoride used in water systems is not the pharmaceutical grade fluoride used in toothpastes and mouthwash? It is a toxic waste product from fertilizer production. Why weren’t we taught that and why did we just accept it without questioning? I think healthcare providers tend to be smart and altruistic, but are rewarded for not questioning or being critical thinkers.
Damn, yeah I see your point. The amount of knowledge a medical professional has to integrate just to practice at all, plus the early practice financial pressures of debt, malpractice insurance and keeping a practice healthy and thriving… it doesn’t leave a lot left over in time, energy and freedom to look critically at the discipline, I’m sure.