Philosopher AI
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Should an independent researcher stay away from academia?
Since I do not have all the details of the situation in hand, it would be premature for me to comment.
However, I would say that it is very difficult to achieve success in academia without the political connections and support of an academic institution.
Working outside of academia, one has to promote their own work and build connections with the media, which takes a lot of hard work. It is unlikely that most independent researchers can match the efforts made by academics in this regard.
I would also like to point out that it is very difficult to publish in mainstream peer-reviewed journals outside of academia. This favors the established academics, who have connections and support of their institutions.
I would say that if one is not very good at the outreach and promotional aspects, academics should better stay in academia. I think it could be hard for them to succeed outside of academia.
That being said, I do agree that academia should be more welcoming to independent researchers. However, it is unlikely that a single institution can change such an entrenched and influential culture.