Simple. Because it's not in any academic's pure self-interest, acting alone, to stop publishing in for-profit journals. It is the "tragedy of the commons". Tak

Simple. Because it's not in any academic's pure self-interest, acting alone, to stop publishing in for-profit journals. It is the "tragedy of the commons". Take overfished waters, for example. It would be beneficial for all the fishermen if they only took half as many fish, but it would not be beneficial for any individual fishermen to do so. Thus, someone has to take the lead (thank you Tim Gowers!)