What do y’all think would happen if all the displaced scientists started running for office? I’m having serious trouble finding a post-doc position, and I was thinking of raising hell in politics and having a big “donate to my personal research endowment if you want me out of politics” thing.
I, for one, would like to say “hell yeah, I vote for this”
What do y’all think would happen if all the displaced scientists started running for office?
Nothing. This ain’t China, there is no super structure of Marxism providing a framework for professionals with a 3rd grade understanding of political economy.
At best we’ll get a convoluted plan on how to provide solar panels to cars.
People with PhDs are still disproportionately well-educated or at the very least critical thinkers even in fields outside their specialty. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen counter examples, but on average you really think we can’t change or fix anything? Plus, what’s the alternative if I can’t work in the field I’m passionate about? Like, what could I even do with my life? I went into science to fix the world, if politics wants to prevent me from doing that, then it’s just another problem to solve.
Even if we didn’t run for office and just started participating more with our free time, I bet we could have an effect. Like, what if we started showing up to local council stuff and explaining voting theory and why we needed to reform aspects of our local voting system. Just show up and explain the math. Maybe there’d be no effect in some places, but maybe other places would take our point.
Then you won’t get the best scientists. Job security is important for people who like living indoors.
That’s the idea.
