A disturbing observation: far too many articles, even in rather prestigious newspapers and popular scientific magazines, are written by or about people who stand to make a direct profit if the article's thesis is accepted ... people who are trying to start a bandwagon movement, to get widespread sign-on for their chosen "solution".

I won't name any names, to avoid speaking ill of some otherwise good individuals — but really now, wouldn't it be better to work on making your product better? Is your case so weak that you have to spend considerable time (and money) to orchestrate a media blitz?

And on the other side of the table, aren't there enough interesting and important discoveries to fill an honest publication without stooping to rewriting press releases? Isn't your long-term reputation worth more than a cover story showing some billionaire (and frequent advertiser) in make-up and an eye-catching pose?

Maybe this mutual hand-washing exercise between Marketing and Media has been going on for a long time, and I'm only belatedly catching on to it. Perhaps an inferior technology can win out over a better one via promotional propagandizing.

Call me naïve ... but I still believe that the Best will triumph, though admittedly it may take a long time. I'm patient ...

TopicSociety - TopicScience - 2002-04-14

(correlates: Underappreciated Ideas, DelicatePower, HopefulRejoinders, ...)