Here is a quote from H. G. Wells, "The World Set Free." It is set in the future and the narrator is looking back at the year 1910:

"'I have been reading some old papers lately. It is wonderful how our fathers bore themselves towards science. They hated it. They feared it. They permitted a few scientific men to exist and work -- a pitiful handful.... 'Don't find out anything about us,' they said to them; 'don't inflict vision upon us, spare our little ways of life from the fearful shaft of understanding. But do tricks for us, little limited tricks. Give us cheap lighting. And cure us of certain disagreeable things, cure us of cancer, cure us of consumption, cure our colds and relieve us after repletion....'"

People have always hated and feared science and technological progress. I know many scientists who hate science! See:

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Wells is, of course, right. It's amazing that certain things do not change over centuries. Let's be honest: scientists also often spout rubbish since it ensures the best career options. I know precisely what I should write to make professors satisfied. They'd be thrilled! I know also the price for not writing what is expected to go along certain lines. And the price is tremendous, really tremendous, also at psychological level! It's not at all a matter of rigour and logic. Of course not!

Only very few people can allow themselves the luxury of writing the truth (like Paul Krugman), and such people are quite exceptionally talented at world level and have (deservedly) attained very high scientific positions. However, they are expections that confirm the rule. In general, the rest of scientists are in a sort of a trap, and it's probably one of the most serious obstacles to progress. The problem of 'heavy censorship in the studies which touch upon poltics is one aspect of it (well, if you have to say: "I had unpleaant experience related to men" while the truth is that you were brutally raped by a few guys-the message is not exactly the same, is it? This is a simple metaphor for the requirement of political correctness); another serious hurdle to progress is the fear to be stupid and fail (especially in life sciences)-and this is often vividly sustained by professors; still another is careerism and the desire for high social status (thus, one opts for "safe" options that are rewarding in a relatively short term).

"permitted a few scientific men to exist and work -- a pitiful handful.... 'Don't find out anything about us,' they said to them; 'don't inflict vision upon us, spare our little ways of life from the fearful shaft of understanding."-IT's SO MUCH TRUE!

I always laugh bitterly when I hear that the EU lacks leadership and vision...It's so well-designed that you can only nod your head. Yeah, the f...world