[jshaqaw]

Agreed. People point to the edge cases where orthodoxy and conformity crushed the brilliant innovator but for every one of those there are 1000 cranks or embittered dead end researchers claiming that only a conspiracy prevented their genius from being recognized.

[indigodaddy]

This sort of argument implies that Riess must have turned into a crank since his Nobel prize winning turn... Seems unlikely though doesn't it?

[api]

Happens so often they call it the Nobel curse.

It’s related to why famous celebrities and billionaires often lose their minds. Human success is self limiting. It begets failure by convincing people they are “special.” Pride comes before a fall is not because god punishes people for pride or something. It’s a statement of cause and effect. Pride causes a fall.