[dependenttypes]

In https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17938318 some of the parties involved mentioned that they disassociated from the paper in fear of being ostracized.

Scientists are people too. You often see people hiding their real beliefs due to the fear of retaliation and public perception as well as misinterpretation regarding controversial topics, it is only natural that scientists have the same fear, especially when considering this case where we have a highly political topic.

[singemonkey]

Sure - I agree that there will be some scientists who will self-censor.

What I'm taking issue with is the trope that there's some kind of conspiracy of silence going on, where the global science community has decided it's beholden to China and refuses to research / publish credible theories that this is a lab-made virus. My experience is that scientists aren't a homogenous group and quite a few of them actually care about truth and facts and put that above the risk of losing links to Chinese funding.

[gfodor]

You’re using the word conspiracy to ridicule the idea that humans will not speak about something out of fear of repercussions, which is about the most in-evidence thing about past atrocities one can imagine.

[singemonkey]

No I'm not. I invite you to read the response you replied to more carefully.

[dependenttypes]

You are the only person in this discussion who mentioned the word conspiracy though.

[SomeoneFromCA]

Earlier this year, there were attempts to publish articles going against the narrative, and those who attempted were ridiculed, the exactly same way like it is happening in this comments section. No one wants this to happen to them.