The Semmelweis myth and why it's not true (2018)
The Semmelweis effect illustrates challenges faced by innovators like Ignaz Semmelweis and Jim Allison in driving change despite resistance. Effective communication, perseverance, and collaboration are crucial for overcoming obstacles.
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The article discusses the Semmelweis effect, named after Ignaz Semmelweis, a doctor who advocated for handwashing to prevent infections in hospitals during the 1840s. Despite his discovery's importance, Semmelweis faced rejection and ridicule from the medical establishment due to conflicting beliefs about disease causation. The story highlights the challenges innovators face in overcoming entrenched paradigms and effectively communicating new ideas. Drawing parallels to modern times, the narrative shifts to Jim Allison, a scientist who persisted in developing cancer immunotherapy despite initial skepticism and resistance from pharmaceutical companies. The article emphasizes the crucial role of effective communication in driving innovation and societal impact. It underscores the need for innovators to navigate obstacles, collaborate with others, and take responsibility for seeing their ideas through to fruition. Ultimately, the narrative encourages a proactive approach to innovation, emphasizing perseverance, collaboration, and effective communication as key drivers of success in challenging the status quo.
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5 commentsI had thought this was well established by experimental psychology, but now that I am looking into it it seems like the evidence is not nearly as strong as I thought and the effect may be very small or nonexistent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief_perseverance#Backfire_e...
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328481-400-impossib...
I package this as:
"Doing the do" is half the work; "advertising the do" is the other half.
Few ideas are so intrinsically obvious as to sell themselves.
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