I critiqued my past papers on social media
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Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#2[deleted]
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#3> Their discussions are largely of limitations, catalogues of failure. Their conclusions can be brutal.
pov: me writing my first published paper and being honest about the shortcomings and then having my advisor tell me that i should sell my results more enthusiastically.
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#4>Every year in June, I discover that the most self-critical scientists are final-year undergraduates
I'm in the middle of a PhD. It's kind of sad to say this but if I rediscover my inner final-year undergrad I'm pretty sure I'd have trouble graduating
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#5> Their discussions are largely of limitations, catalogues of failure. Their conclusions can be brutal. pov: me writing my first published paper and being honest about the shortcomings and then having my advisor tell me that i should sell my results more enthusiastically.
Why is my impression of academics drifting from an image of intellectual curiosity, deep thinking, and excellent communication; to a scene from a bad movie where I'm supposed to like the car salesman.
Maybe it's good I didn't go back to grad school...
P.S. this article appeared in Nature, so I guess I should take it with the required amount of salt.
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#6This is all well and good but the author seems to still naively assume best and honest intentions. Sadly all kinds of people have all sorts of motivations for writing papers.
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#7"There are only two ways of telling the complete truth--anonymously and posthumously." --Thomas Sowell (b. 1930)
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#8> Their discussions are largely of limitations, catalogues of failure. Their conclusions can be brutal. pov: me writing my first published paper and being honest about the shortcomings and then having my advisor tell me that i should sell my results more enthusiastically.
I was described as "too scholarly" by my PhD advisor when writing up my first couple of papers. I'm in industry now.
People doing a PhD/post-doc need to understand that there is no escape from "sales". Lots of academically leaning people, including myself, set out with a goal of avoiding becoming a seller and wanting to work in a space where data does the persuading rather than smooth talk. Unfortunately no such place exists. Even in the "purest" science-focused workplaces, you still need to sell your ideas to managers or funding agencies. To transcend "regular researcher" and become widely respected in your field, having thousands of Twitter followers will be more helpful than a paper in Nature.
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#9> Their discussions are largely of limitations, catalogues of failure. Their conclusions can be brutal. pov: me writing my first published paper and being honest about the shortcomings and then having my advisor tell me that i should sell my results more enthusiastically.
I was described as "too scholarly" by my PhD advisor when writing up my first couple of papers. I'm in industry now. People doing a PhD/post-doc need to understand that there is no escape from "sales". Lots of academically leaning people, including myself, set out with a goal of avoiding becoming a seller and wanting to work in a space where data does the persuading rather than smooth talk. Unfortunately no such plac…
This even extends to the hardest problems in mathematics and science. Solve the Riemann Hypothesis for real? Good luck getting the community to actually take a look at your paper and award you for it. Us problem solvers like these "pure" fields because we idealize a world where the work indisputably speaks for itself. Unfortunately without the sales and connection bullshido, no one will ever look at your profound work to see that it is world changing. Yeah, fuck everything about this. That's why Coq and Lean and all the other formal systems are ideal. I solve a problem, the system validates it. Now listen Clay, give me the motherfucking million!
Re: I critiqued my past papers on social media
#10This is all well and good but the author seems to still naively assume best and honest intentions. Sadly all kinds of people have all sorts of motivations for writing papers.
Realistically, what's the alternative? A lifetime spent in bitterness and mistrust?