my journey begins with petty crime...
My father, a hard-working dentist, often found himself the unwitting curator of my burgeoning scientific library. I would stealthily slip into his practice,
carefully extracting glossy science magazines from their pristine sleeves and devour each article, my imagination ignited by tales of groundbreaking
discoveries and the boundless potential of the human mind.
And so it was, that a criminal past fueled my childhood interest in science. This continued with studying biomedical sciences and finally pre-clinical research. However, spending time in academia meant seeing my seniors rushed, pressed and sometimes depressed from a publish-or-perish culture. I saw how this culture clashed with Maslowian basic needs and ultimately, how the inevitable Darwinist selection fostered and eventually normalized un/intentional slips in scientific rigour and objective peer-review. The scientific method was sacrificed for grants and publications in an all-too predictable manner and I couldn't find a good reason to stay here. I was wrong for academia, and academia was wrong for me.
I decided to join the pharmaceutical industry and work with scientific communication instead but, while rewarding, systemic issues kept distracting me. I despised the hyporegulated capitalist system pharma operates within, where investor demands for profit impacts drug development and patient accessibility. Cost effectiveness schisms meant children were denied treatment, families had to move countries to get access to medicine and voices advocating for change got lost in the labyrinthine corridors of bureaucracy. It's the fault of no one and yet all of us are complicit through passive participation, myself included. My impotence within the mammoth structure that is society pushed me towards apathy rather than action and eventually, burnout forced a change in circumstances.
Honestly, that one's on me.
I had to stop, take stock, and think again
Throughout my life I always had a creative outlet next to the more strict and logical aspects of scientific study. I used to write, draw, sing and play the piano so long as no one saw me. I renovated a house and built bespoke furniture and hidden doors galore. I made miniature movie scenes inside wall clocks during the pandemic, and, well, so on. I then tried oil painting and became entirely enthralled by the whole process! I love the meditative act of painting but even more so, the expansive landscape of themes and thoughts you can express where words would have failed. It wasn't necessarily science, nor a creative outlet that was at the core of my interests throughout life. I wanted to understand the cogs and wheels of the world for the sake of connection. Communication was the actual red thread that wriggled itself through my life.
So, on that note.
the many merits of the scientific method
In my opinion, the scientific method is a beautifully designed approach to reach common understanding. You make the selfless decision to remove your opinion from the equation to better understand a viewpoint and when others do the same, you’ve agreed to an unprejudiced mindset that becomes the ground everyone gets to stand on. Who you are, what you look like, whatever friends, clout or plumage you possess are neither here nor there. Everyone is equal through a common denominator; that of objective "reality" (or best guess thereof). The "scientific method" should NOT be confused with "scientists" or the "scientific community". It's not a person or institution but a philosophy, a mindset and a practical approach.
humans are complex creatures
However, part of growing up was appreciating how complex human nature and social dynamics can really be. Relying on externally validated logic fell short far too often to facilitate effective communication alone. While these ideas may not be novel, to me they certainly were at the time and brought about a fundamental shift in perspective.
Aggregate research and objective observation cannot fully capture the human experience, particularly that of subjective reality. Still, we seem to harbour a deep-seated need to be seen and heard for who we are according to ourselves - not according to the unsolicited external projections of others. Being authentic in ways that still translates across conscious minds require some form of shared vocabulary or framework. Though typically underfunded, underprioritized or undervalued for their actual utility, traditions across cultures through time has offered vital tools for comprehending the abstract nature of our inner world and for conveying it to others. Be it ritual, dance, visual arts, fiction, philosophy or psychological thought models, they can allow for a depth logic and hard science won’t achieve on its own.
why does this matter?
It’s been suggested that overwhelm and stress-related conditions are more common today due to choice overload and an ever increasing dependence on social currency. If this is true, then inner balance and mental resilience aren’t easily dismissed kumbaya nonsense; they are pillars of mental well-being in our current context largely shaped by social selection pressure.
As such, “inner balance” and “mental resilience” are better viewed as concrete skillsets that offer real competitive edge. Introspection and a solid sense of self are important to exercise for healthy discernment of external influences. One wants the ability to listen and learn but not become entirely lost, no? And yet… we generally aren't educated or encouraged to learn about this when it matters most; during our formative years. In my mind, these perspectives carry unacknowledged weight. It makes me wonder what would happen if early education better merged the values and communication styles from arts and humanities, with the teachings of the STEM subjects. These are not antithetical worldviews but two sides of the same coin. Perhaps a more holistic - or collective - approach could foster compassion, collaboration and sustainable progress?
now back to me...
Though it took me far too long, I realized my true vocation was communication and that I might be better equipped to engage with this through artistic expression rather than logic and language. Having said that, I don’t regret anything - my mind always oscillated between preferences; that of external logic or internal intuition. Both of which make most sense depending on the question asked. And perhaps meandering through life gave me something to say in the first place? I hope my perspectives gained aren’t solely faded copies of wiser words spoken by smarter people that came before. I hope that somewhere within the vast space of shared art - already brimming with brilliant ideas, views and beauty that transcends time - there is a secluded corner where I can tuck away a trinket or two.
And that is the long version of how I ended up here.
The end
