David Deutsch on Why Physicists DON'T Criticize Academia #science
Physicists are generally reluctant to publicly critique academic institutions, even with tenure, due to perceived precariousness or sociological factors, making systemic change difficult.
Takeways• Physicists avoid public academic critiques due to job precariousness.
• Systemic issues are hard to change as they're not a single person's fault.
• Tenure often fails to liberate academics from institutional conformity.
Physicists often voice critiques of academia privately but are hesitant to do so publicly, a reluctance possibly stemming from job precariousness or the fear of being labeled a 'conspiracy theorist' when identifying systemic issues. Even with tenure, which is intended to foster freedom, many academics still conform to the established system rather than challenging it. This collective silence makes it challenging to address core problems within the institution, which are often nobody's specific fault but rather a byproduct of the system itself.
Reluctance to Critique
• 00:00:00 Many physicists privately criticize the academic organization but are reluctant to do so publicly, possibly due to the precarious nature of academic positions, especially without tenure. There is an incentive to present everything as 'copacetic,' and those who do voice public concerns are a small minority. Critiques of systemic issues can be misconstrued as 'conspiracy theories,' rather than acknowledging that problems might arise from an evolving, complex system where no single person is directly to blame, making change harder.
Impact of Tenure
• 00:02:10 While tenure is theoretically intended to free academics from peer and public pressure, in practice, it often fails to achieve this. Many individuals who attain permanent positions tend to 'slot into the system' rather than becoming 'free agents' who openly challenge institutional norms. The reasons for this continued conformity, even with job security, are complex and may stem from sociological factors, making the perceived freedom of tenure less impactful in reality.