Nobody ever got a raise from their Dean or an endowed Chair because their work was celebrated for being careful, thoughtful, measured, balanced and realistic.
Plenty of science that was uber-hyped at the time has turned out to be misguided and/or even outright wrong. Plenty of those scientists have led wealthy, rewarded lifestyles as a result of the hype.
As an academic scientist one has to make a conscious decision to play the game or not play the game. There isn't a lot of room in the middle. You make your choices and you live with the consequences.
You see your colleague making double your salary, you read the press office reports hyping their work, you understand that it's no more innovative, important, or TRUE than your work or anyone else's in your cohort ... but they are playing the game.
Wouldn't you like to take your family to Hawaii for vacation? Wouldn't you like a bigger house? A nicer car? To send your kids to private school? Your University press office is practically going around begging for science stories to promote (i.e. hype). It's difficult to resist jumping in with both feet.
Plenty of science that was uber-hyped at the time has turned out to be misguided and/or even outright wrong. Plenty of those scientists have led wealthy, rewarded lifestyles as a result of the hype.
As an academic scientist one has to make a conscious decision to play the game or not play the game. There isn't a lot of room in the middle. You make your choices and you live with the consequences.
You see your colleague making double your salary, you read the press office reports hyping their work, you understand that it's no more innovative, important, or TRUE than your work or anyone else's in your cohort ... but they are playing the game.
Wouldn't you like to take your family to Hawaii for vacation? Wouldn't you like a bigger house? A nicer car? To send your kids to private school? Your University press office is practically going around begging for science stories to promote (i.e. hype). It's difficult to resist jumping in with both feet.
It's a jungle out there people.