27 May 2017

Bruce's Modelling Gripes, No. 10: That I also do many of the things that annoy me

I think this will be my last "gripe" for a while, though it has been fun letting them out. I will now let them build up inside a while before I splurge again.

Yes, of course, I also do many of the things I have been complaining about in these "Gripes" (though not all of them). It is a fundamental social dilemma -- what is fun or advantageous for you as an individual can be a pain for others -- what is good for the general modelling community might be a "pain in the arse" to do.

All we can do is to try and set ourselves and others standards and then, collectively, try to keep each other to them - including those who want to suggest these. At certain crucial points they can be enforced (for acceptance for a publication, as a condition for a grant), but even then they are much more effective as part of a social norm -- part of what good/accomplished/reputable modellers do.

So I need this as much as anyone else. Personally I find the honesty ones easy - I have a childish delight in being brutally honest about my own and general academic matters, but find it harder to do the "tidying up" bits once I have sorted out a model - others will find the honesty thing harder because they lack the arrogant confidence I have. Lets keeps us all straight in this increasingly "post-truth" world!

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