content: There are definitely special interests driving “research”, but I also think it’s the scientific community to blame. Science does not occur in the vacuum. These are human beings after all. Scientific research is not insulated from personality, ego stakes and cultish dogmatism. Different hypothetical models need to be investigated to be eliminated, and no one wants their life’s work, or even a few years of work, to be for nothing. Unless they’re Eckhart Tolle, I cannot believe that anyone would be happy with putting time and effort into the wrong thing. Things can be quietly refuted in research but may persist as truth in mainstream culture for years afterwards.