Member-only story
I’m a Scientist (I’m Still Figuring Things Out Like Everyone Else).
I may know some things, but I don’t know it all.
Hey there, I’m the new scientist in town.
I’ve just begun a new research program in collaboration with the Indonesian government, complete with a full scholarship for my doctoral degree. Everything went smoothly — academically speaking. But something always catches me off guard: people assume I know everything that happens on this planet just because I’m a scientist.
And yes, it happens often.
Whenever I meet someone new, or the conversation turns to science — or even dips into politics, they start throwing facts at me, asking, “Do you know about this, Sean?”
And honestly?
No, I don’t.
I probably know only a small slice of knowledge — a little corner of a vast universe of information.
Knowledge is one of the best tools we have to navigate life. It’s powerful — it shapes the way we make decisions.
If you learn tomatoes are good for you, you might buy them in bulk. But if new evidence shows otherwise, you’ll likely stop and shift your attention elsewhere.
