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Josh's avatar

I'm a computer programmer, "don't do your own research" makes zero sense in my field. By the time you're done with formal training, there are entirely different ways of doing things. You *have to* constantly be updating your skills on your own if you want to be at the bleeding edge of the industry. Moreover, it's completely possible for someone who's dropped out of High School to learn and be better at these concepts than someone with a PhD from a top school. Your worth comes from how well you accomplish the tasks in front of you, and education is merely a tool to help.

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Modern Discontent's avatar

This reminds me of an article I read during college about the AIDS epidemic. I cited it as an avenue into explaining what's going on today, since at that time there was so much scientific uncertainty that doctors were really trying a lot of different things, much to the behest of the afflicted community. Eventually, many of those in the gay and black community started "doing their own research", and examining a lot of the scientific evidence alongside many medical doctors, and it got to the point that many of those in these communities actively participated in these medical meetings and engaging in the science themselves.

Of all things, I think COVID made the public generally aware of their naiveite when it comes to science and medicine. I think it led to a huge dichotomy where there now became those who wanted to dig a little deeper and those who just wanted to follow the approved narrative.

Unlike other times, the free dissemination of information through open-access journals meant that more people were allowed entry into the world of science, and many gatekeepers did not like that because controlling the route of information meant controlling the narrative. Allowing these people in meant that they could now question studies and criticize things that didn't seem right. I think that's why there was such a hard clampdown on fact-checking.

At the same time, I do believe there are people who are still learning about the "idea" of science more than engaging in scientific rigor, but even so I think even wanting to engage is a step in the right direction.

I do find it interesting that media pundits are those trying to tell us not to do our own research since we aren't experts. I have to wonder how much scientific research they have done themselves to disseminate COVID information to the public.

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