Fame

Is fame by itself a worthwhile pursuit?

In academia, some faculty members seem bent on making their name as prominent as possible in their field, in order to achieve greater recognition. Yet fame as an objective in itself can lead to a situation where it is the only product of research efforts. A large number of publications may produce name recognition among peers, but unless the publications are also of high quality this only marginally benefits the community at large. Questionably ethical practices can also arise from the sole pursuit of fame: a single study with significant and useful results can be split into several segments–a practice known as salami slicing–in order to maximize name exposure.

Is there any purpose in this type of empty fame–aside from the quest for immortality? There is no shortage of examples for individuals who gain fame by virtue of their brilliant ideas, but I am inclined to think that most of these people did not seek fame in and of itself.