4 ms·

How not to be a scientific zombie [Portuguese]

10 points by gtsnexp 5y ago

gtsnexp 5y ago
Always remember: in the Sciences you are measured by what you do, not by what you know. Exhibitionism of knowledge is one of the most degrading forms of narcissism. Look for your own problems. Ask yourself what you find puzzling, misunderstood, strange or obscure. These are the big questions. Try to formulate and understand everything in your own terms. There are no minor problems or issues. Don't work with the primary goal of pleasing others. Always keep in mind that you are not unique, you are not better than others. Always keep in mind that others don't have an innate advantage over you. Keep yourself in a state where you can guarantee that you know no less about your field than other people in it. Your background is unique, and you can produce specific combinations of ideas that may not be immediate to everyone. Have a specialty: an area, however small, that you know very well, if possible like no other. From time to time vary problems and even areas. Different and even disparate problems and solutions nurture each other. Science is a biological organism, a living being. Set aside a regular daily period of intensive work. The duration does not matter so much as the intensity. In the Sciences, arrogance is tolerated, but only by those who can afford it. Write and keep your ideas in order. Keeping a notebook is a good suggestion. Talk, talk about what is on your mind without monopolizing. Make the conversation useful to you and your interlocutors. No matter how well you disguise it, no one is interested in someone who talks to himself. When thinking about a problem, imagine having a conversation partner to whom you try to explain your ideas. This helps to clarify them. Give good classes, teach, mentor graduate students. Ask what you don't know. If you begin to feel misunderstood, with no one recognizing the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas, seek for medical treatment or change jobs. And don't try to buy favours from anyone to keep your job. (Translated on https://www.deepl.com/en/translator https://www.deepl.com/en/translator)
- gus_massa 5y ago
  You should put at the top of your comment that it's the (auto)translation of the article. I also like to put the language in the title, something like "How not to be a scientific zombie [Portuguese]". And if you are the author, I recommend to make an official translation in the site, and post here the translation. It may get more traction.
  - gtsnexp 5y ago
    Thanks!
btrettel 5y ago
Using the translation from here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29863456 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29863456 > If you begin to feel misunderstood, with no one recognizing the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas, seek for medical treatment or change jobs. Learning to write more clearly, to promote your work, or to be patient would be better next steps than getting medical treatment or switching jobs. I have encountered this attitude before (that medical treatment or quitting should be an immediate response to fairly minor issues in research), which I wrote off as an anomaly, but perhaps it's not as uncommon as I thought...
- not2b 5y ago
  He's talking about the very common phenomenon of thinking you are a scientist when you're really just a crank (or you've become one). And this has to be read in the context of all of the previous points, which are about being an effective researcher or communicator. If truly no one recognizes "the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas", I suppose it's possible that the whole world is wrong and you're a misunderstood genius, but it's more likely that your work is not as valuable as you think it is and it is time to do something else.

10 points by gtsnexp 5y ago

Always remember: in the Sciences you are measured by what you do, not by what you know. Exhibitionism of knowledge is one of the most degrading forms of narcissism. Look for your own problems. Ask yourself what you find puzzling, misunderstood, strange or obscure. These are the big questions. Try to formulate and understand everything in your own terms. There are no minor problems or issues. Don't work with the primary goal of pleasing others. Always keep in mind that you are not unique, you are not better than others. Always keep in mind that others don't have an innate advantage over you. Keep yourself in a state where you can guarantee that you know no less about your field than other people in it. Your background is unique, and you can produce specific combinations of ideas that may not be immediate to everyone. Have a specialty: an area, however small, that you know very well, if possible like no other. From time to time vary problems and even areas. Different and even disparate problems and solutions nurture each other. Science is a biological organism, a living being. Set aside a regular daily period of intensive work. The duration does not matter so much as the intensity. In the Sciences, arrogance is tolerated, but only by those who can afford it. Write and keep your ideas in order. Keeping a notebook is a good suggestion. Talk, talk about what is on your mind without monopolizing. Make the conversation useful to you and your interlocutors. No matter how well you disguise it, no one is interested in someone who talks to himself. When thinking about a problem, imagine having a conversation partner to whom you try to explain your ideas. This helps to clarify them. Give good classes, teach, mentor graduate students. Ask what you don't know. If you begin to feel misunderstood, with no one recognizing the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas, seek for medical treatment or change jobs. And don't try to buy favours from anyone to keep your job. (Translated on https://www.deepl.com/en/translator https://www.deepl.com/en/translator)

gus_massa 5y ago
You should put at the top of your comment that it's the (auto)translation of the article. I also like to put the language in the title, something like "How not to be a scientific zombie [Portuguese]". And if you are the author, I recommend to make an official translation in the site, and post here the translation. It may get more traction.
- gtsnexp 5y ago
  Thanks!

btrettel 5y ago

Using the translation from here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29863456 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29863456 > If you begin to feel misunderstood, with no one recognizing the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas, seek for medical treatment or change jobs. Learning to write more clearly, to promote your work, or to be patient would be better next steps than getting medical treatment or switching jobs. I have encountered this attitude before (that medical treatment or quitting should be an immediate response to fairly minor issues in research), which I wrote off as an anomaly, but perhaps it's not as uncommon as I thought...

not2b 5y ago
He's talking about the very common phenomenon of thinking you are a scientist when you're really just a crank (or you've become one). And this has to be read in the context of all of the previous points, which are about being an effective researcher or communicator. If truly no one recognizes "the importance of your work and the genius of your ideas", I suppose it's possible that the whole world is wrong and you're a misunderstood genius, but it's more likely that your work is not as valuable as you think it is and it is time to do something else.