Doing The Dishes

Paul Ryan's dish washing scandal has Inspired me to keep going. Any person who can stand in front of other people washing clean dishes is clearly a Cargo Cult Leader. Why? Because the purpose of washing dishes is to make dirty dishes clean! Paul Ryan washes dishes to create an illusion like we in science use big words and wear white lab coats.

I won't prattle on about it. It's funny. It's a man who would be be equally successful had he pursued a career in science. A leader knows the dishes needn't be be dirty when the objective is only to convince people you are cleaning them. Put on proper attire, look like you are working...

Thus I must return to this project. The Cargo Cult Scientist took a little break. No excuse. Nothing to report. The world is still ruled by men who wash clean dishes. I want to talk about the reproducibility initiative. Next post. Why do we need it?

While checking out at Safeway lately, I've been asked to donate a few cents by rounding up my purchase to the next even dollar. I refuse. Knowing what goes on in research I refuse to give. I would give to the International Peace Love and Harmony chairity if there was one and I thought they could achieve such a goal. The same goes for breast cancer (or any cancer) research. I would give them money if I thought they were fighting cancer. I do not. Not until they have checks and balances would I consider their work to be worth a penny. Cancer charities need accountability financially and scientifically. The reproducibility initiative is what I where I would donate my money. It would be indirect however. The initiative needs to establish its efficacy in sniffing out bullshit and the bullshitters. It needs to gain the respect that the life sciences have failed to achieve.

Imagine a huge fund raising event to raise money to test the efficacy of the Reproducibility Initiative. Those who feel it cannot succeed, here and here for example, are the same who think biotech companies can succeed. Cargo Cult leaders! I think this will work. If Ryan Paul can be a successful politician with ideas such as washing clean dishes, then science can succeed by creating the illusion (at least) that we care too. And we have got the scientific method on our side. Some of us really do care. We care more than we care about our own careers and our venture capitalists careers. It's science that is in trouble these days. The way it's practice. The way moneyed interests profit via Safeway fund raising events. The cancer we face is the lack of reproducibility from more successful cheaters and bullshitters. More successful people like Paul Ryan wash clean dishes and nobody needs that. Science has always had its fakers but lately they've cut into our credibility and there is a way to fight back. Test the tests. Research the researchers. More later.