More proof that the most corrupt and immoral people rise to the highest ranks in academia
Let me preface this by saying I’ve worked in both academia and private enterprise.
I would say it’s more proof that the idea of academia as an “ivory tower” that holds itself to a higher standard than business and government is utterly delusional. Academia is subject to the same desire for power, money, and prestige because it’s run by people, and people with too much ambition and not enough integrity tend to rise to the top because they simply do not care about ethics. It’s the same everywhere; higher education is no different than the business world.
Except that the saying, “those who can’t do, teach; those who can’t teach become college professors” is absolutely true without exception and I will fight anyone who disagrees.
Academics do research and publish papers. Getting recognition for your research attracts grant funding and leadership opportunities. One could say this can corrupt the pursuit of truth and knowledge.
I’ve seen academics push colleagues to be cited in their papers in order to grow their influence. Counting citations is a way academics compete and try to show their value. It doesn’t necessarily correlate to quality research.
Albert Einstein was a college professor for a large chunk of his life (Bern, ETH Zurich, etc) I think he should get a pass.