Re: [AUDITORY] Silence from leaders in auditory science

[Alain de Cheveigne <alain.de.cheveigne@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott, 

I followed your advice, and read what you had to say with empathy and an open mind.  Sadly, it does not make good sense. You complain that the list 'devolves into a political battleground,' but then wade in wholeheartedly. You defend a pristine channel of scientific debate, but defend the notion of science itself being sacrificed to fix the debt. 

As an accomplished engineer, you should feel that something is wrong. For one thing, the cost of science is a minor factor in the debt. We usually attend to major factors before minor. For another, science (like other elements of society funded collectively) creates the platform on which you and others create wealth. It seems strange that the richest country on the planet suddenly thinks that such basics are not worth paying for. A reluctance to pay tax is the major factor in the debt.

An apt metaphor is an apple tree. All we care for is the apples, but we would not get rid of leaves, branches, roots, soil and water because they appear wasteful.  A tree might benefit from pruning to remove dead wood and superfluous branches, but you do not go at it with a chainsaw.

What is happening to the US reminds me of the zombie ants who suddenly figure that it is a good idea to latch on to a leaf and die. In the ant, this behavior results from the hijacking of neural circuits that process information and control action.  Those circuits normally ensure homeostasis, keeping the ant (and its colony and species) alive, much like the controls of a plane keep it in the air. Hijacking those controls might allow the hijacker to influence the trajectory to their benefit, at the expense of the plane and its pilot.  

You single out 'polarization' of the (US) electorate and 'modern media' as causes. Why is it that I, who am not part of that electorate and partake sparingly of social or even written media, am so apprehensive of the current trajectory?

To answer the original question about the 'silence of senior leaders', those 'leaders' are confused and scared. Confused because their usual levers of action no longer work and they do they fully understand why and how to fix them, and scared because of recent examples of retribution and bullying, in scientific spheres or elsewhere.

This is why politics might seep into the scientific debate from time to time. Regrettable? Yes.

Alain





> On 22 Mar 2025, at 17:05, J. Scott Merritt <alsauser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> I am saddened to see the Auditory List devolving into a political battleground.  If additional political "discourse" is needed, there is certainly no shortage of other places on the web where it can be found.
> 
> From my perspective, the -central- problem with US politics is the increasing polarization of the electorate.  Gone are the moderate statesmen/women that seek a fair compromise acceptable to most.  I put the blame for this situation firmly at the feet of modern media - where all of the incentives are singularly aligned with increased "engagement" of their viewers.
> 
> Given that view point, I disagree with the premise that each side should put as much effort as possible into organizing their resistance and further arguing their points.  Instead, I believe we need more people to listen carefully, with patience and empathy, to the grievances of all sides in hopes of finding a middle ground that works for all.
> 
> I would venture to say that the majority of the US electorate would agree that the massive debt that US has run up is a significant problem, and would further agree that reduced scientific research funding is an appropriate (albeit small) step to address that problem.  As such, it would be hard to argue that reduced scientific research funding, by itself, is an assault on American democracy.
> 
> It can certainly be argued that the methods apparently being used to reduce funding are crude and not well prioritized, with an emphasis on haste rather than wisdom.  Unfortunately, I fear that this will remain the case while the electorate is so heavily polarized and we careen viciously to the left or right after each election.
> 
> So ... my suggestions is NOT to "put as much effort as possible into organising resistance to this coup" ... but rather to engage -individually- with those of differing viewpoints, with patience and empathy, in hopes of reaching a better shared vision and understanding.
> 
> 
> On Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:25:25 +0000
> Petter Kallioinen <000001c5645d28b7-dmarc-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> I am writing from Stockholm following what I take to be the fall of American democracy. My advice is to not the resist the urgency of this situation and not hope for the best. What I would suggest is for everyone to minimize their ordinary work on a stable level and put as much effort as possible into organising resistance to this coup. Everyone!