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Do your own research…
“Do your own research…”
No.
I’m sorry but that’s not always the best advice. In fact it can be down right dangerous.
There are many problems with this statement. It sounds like a good idea, but here’s the thing, sometimes good sounding things are only surface deep. This is one of those.
“Do your own research…” is a bit narcissistic in nature. That may sound extreme, but bear with me on this. If I have to do my own research on important things, then the real question is this — why am I not trusting anyone else? Especially those who have devoted a large portion of their life to a subject area?
Maybe the real hang up here is how we are defining what it means to “do your own research.” In using the phrase, what I sense is that it’s not being used according to the long standing definition.
Here’s how Wordnik.com defines research:
- Careful study of a given subject, field, or problem, undertaken to discover facts or principles.
- An act or period of such study.
- Diligent inquiry, examination, or study; laborious or continued search after facts or principles; investigation: as, microscopical research; historical researches.
When I read these definitions, what I come away with is that there is a great deal of time investment, among other things. Doing your own research means observing something going on an asking a question, proposing a hypothesis that can…
