12-31-2011, 11:19 PM
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/car...s.r0800063 makes for an interesting read.
In essence it was problematic to be out in the scientific community 30 years ago, today it is much easier, yet many may remain in their closet for political reasons. Science is highly political.
As in most any other career, there is a lot of politics in the structure. It is know-who (more than know-how) that gets people into cushy jobs, gets them set for tenure and all of that other wonderful stuff. Few scientists become well known, or will have a significant breakthrough to be added to the list of well known names like Newton, Einstein, Hawking.
Social climbing within the ranks comes with expectations as with any other business, part and parcel of that is having a 'family', wife child(ren) and living the 'ideal dream' that is expected from society.
Not too long ago in order for a man to climb up the corporate ladder he had to have the trophy wife who would do the social scene within the circles of the corporation. It is no longer absolutely necessary, however a man having a husband is going to be a stumbling block because peers and the individuals who decide your fate are often bigots.
While no one in polite society will come out and say openly 'We are passing you up for this job because your skin is too dark, you don't worship the right God, you are not straight - they still do pass those up who don't meet their 'core values'.
No one is fired in the USA for being Black, Asian, Gay, Jewish, Female - least ways not on paper. They are fired and the real reason is skin color, sexual preference, gender, age, religious standing, etc. etc. etc. The only reason why this is not the 'official reason we are letting you go' is because it is illegal to discriminate. So make up reasons that don't break the law.
The scientific arena is a blood sport, cut throat and very deadly. One minor mistake and your professional standing is ruined forever. If you fail to publish first, you get no credit and if you dare say 'I thought of it first' you are all but drummed out of the laboratory.
Pure science hasn't taken place since the days of Bell, Edison and the like. But even then politics raged. Look at poor Tesla - he was a great scientific genius who got on the bad end of the politics of science.
Politics. Who invented the light Bulb? If you said Edison, I'm sorry you are a victim of Scientific Politics.
J.W. Starr developed the light bulb using a carbon filament inside a vacuüm bulb in 1845. After Starr died, Sir Joseph Wilson Swan continued to work on the design and patented a carbon filament bulb in 1879. http://whatthefluffy.wordpress.com/2011/...ulb-wrong/
This is only one minor instance of Scientific Politics- its merely the tip of the iceberg
The politics are so bad that many will hide in the closet in order to have full access to every opportunity. They must - if they don't they go no where fast.
In essence it was problematic to be out in the scientific community 30 years ago, today it is much easier, yet many may remain in their closet for political reasons. Science is highly political.
As in most any other career, there is a lot of politics in the structure. It is know-who (more than know-how) that gets people into cushy jobs, gets them set for tenure and all of that other wonderful stuff. Few scientists become well known, or will have a significant breakthrough to be added to the list of well known names like Newton, Einstein, Hawking.
Social climbing within the ranks comes with expectations as with any other business, part and parcel of that is having a 'family', wife child(ren) and living the 'ideal dream' that is expected from society.
Not too long ago in order for a man to climb up the corporate ladder he had to have the trophy wife who would do the social scene within the circles of the corporation. It is no longer absolutely necessary, however a man having a husband is going to be a stumbling block because peers and the individuals who decide your fate are often bigots.
While no one in polite society will come out and say openly 'We are passing you up for this job because your skin is too dark, you don't worship the right God, you are not straight - they still do pass those up who don't meet their 'core values'.
No one is fired in the USA for being Black, Asian, Gay, Jewish, Female - least ways not on paper. They are fired and the real reason is skin color, sexual preference, gender, age, religious standing, etc. etc. etc. The only reason why this is not the 'official reason we are letting you go' is because it is illegal to discriminate. So make up reasons that don't break the law.
The scientific arena is a blood sport, cut throat and very deadly. One minor mistake and your professional standing is ruined forever. If you fail to publish first, you get no credit and if you dare say 'I thought of it first' you are all but drummed out of the laboratory.
Pure science hasn't taken place since the days of Bell, Edison and the like. But even then politics raged. Look at poor Tesla - he was a great scientific genius who got on the bad end of the politics of science.
Politics. Who invented the light Bulb? If you said Edison, I'm sorry you are a victim of Scientific Politics.
J.W. Starr developed the light bulb using a carbon filament inside a vacuüm bulb in 1845. After Starr died, Sir Joseph Wilson Swan continued to work on the design and patented a carbon filament bulb in 1879. http://whatthefluffy.wordpress.com/2011/...ulb-wrong/
This is only one minor instance of Scientific Politics- its merely the tip of the iceberg
The politics are so bad that many will hide in the closet in order to have full access to every opportunity. They must - if they don't they go no where fast.
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
