There is no doubt that the world is changing very rapidly. This is true in many spheres: technology, politics, economics, and social. These changes present significant challenges to individuals, families, communities, businesses, institutions, and countries. On this blog there have been many posts and comments about how science and universities are changing.
I think there are three common mistakes in how people respond to these changes.
1. Denial. Claim that the changes are not really that significant (either qualitatively or quantitatively) and we should just keep on operating in the same way. This response will mostly come from those who are not directly affected in the short term.
2. On the other hand, some claim everything has changed and that everything is up for grabs, and they begin to lose sight of basic truths and goals, whether it is human aspirations or the content of physics curricula.
3. Seduction by the "change merchants." These are the opportunists: who want to use the change as a pretext to sell and implement their "solutions" from which they will increase their power, social status, or bank account.
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This is truly a dramatic change.
ReplyDeleteThis years Nobel to Donna Strickland who shared with other two men was after 55 years to a woman in physics. She has proved the great
intuitive quote of Max Perutz " “Discoveries cannot be planned, they pop up, like Puck, in unexpected corners.”. This time Puck has demolished the tyranny of metrics. She has metrics of h= 20 . One can say even hierarchical aspect is ignored. She was an Associate Prof , No Wikipedia till she was awarded the Nobel , no self promotion. Puck has truly given a notice to university administrators.