Beginning 2020

Let us begin 2020 with attention to a tweet chain by angrybiomed. The tweets pick up an important theme, to which many of us pay lip service. The chain begins by saying that a decent paper has been viewed only twice:

I see this so often on half decent papers. There's a problem in scientific literature not often discussed – the ratio between papers produced and papers read is abysmal. So much good work is lost in the noise. pic.twitter.com/u0heO6yuj4

— atypical presentation (@vibesbasedmed) September 18, 2019

Then we get into some diagnostic work.

This is a two part problem:

1. Lots of academics don't read enough (too many conferences, grants, and busywork).

2. Being busy is seen as productive and rewarded. Taking time, theorizing, and being strategic goes unrewarded.

— atypical presentation (@vibesbasedmed) September 18, 2019

Bonus part three:

3. Legions of "busy" academics producing ineffectual research (in the real world application sense) + publishing it floods the marketplace and creates too much noise

— atypical presentation (@vibesbasedmed) September 18, 2019

Clarifying the problem further, I believe, clears the way for better forms of scholarly life. And, yes, at least in this case I do prefer using the phrase “scholarly life” rather than “scholarly work”.

In the 5th chapter of my book, I talk explicitly about “the task of being an experimental psychologist”. I talk about how this task is most optimally performed when we are mindless. The entire book could be seen as a case against optimizing and efficiency. A case against being a “recognizable”, uncreative, fast, busy, “employable”, “promote-able” academic.

I hope a few people find the book in 2020, take the time to read it, and to see ONE way in which we can go beyond lip-service and work in accordance to higher principles.