In article <6otj57$2s0$1 at Jupiter.Mcs.Net>, finch at MCS.COM (Deirdre
Sholto-Douglas) wrote:
> The ones who ultimately succeed are those who can set aside
> their personal feelings of self-esteem, etc. in order to pursue
> scientific fact. Those who know that while validation from
> without is nice, determination from within is what really counts.
>> Deirdre
My experience both with the scientists whom I have met and the books that
I have read (e.g. Double Helix) is that few scientists "set aside their
personal feelings of self-esteem, etc. in order to pursue scientific
fact." Far from it! Many successful scientists have egos that are
tightly linked to their professional success and personal fame. Not
everybody, but many many. The idea that self-esteem is independent of
scientific success is about as valuable as that wonderful myth from the
50's and 60's that scientists sublimate their libidinous urges to the
greater good of their intellectual pursuit. Scientists are people, and
have all the strengths and weaknesses found in the rest of the
population. I very much doubt that anyone who lacks a link between
self-esteem and a scientific career can be a productive scientist. The
problem for some is that the link is self-defeating rather than positive
and rewarding. How to train students to find the positive link is a
difficult task.
--Chris
