The causal loop you mentioned makes social science hard, but I’d argue that falsification and hypothesis-driven research can still work. Otherwise all the behavioral targeting Meta and Google and co are doing would not work.
So what? I pay taxes too, and I want social scientists to be paid using tax dollars for the work they do, which I find valuable. There's plenty I take issue with my taxes being paid for but I just put up with it because we live in a society where my priorities aren't the only ones. Why can't you take that approach with social scientists?
> Why should it bother you that my interests don’t align perfectly with yours.
That's exactly what I'm saying! It doesn't bother me that your interests don't align with mine, I help pay for them anyway... why can't you take that position with social science?
It’s the social science academics living off the public purse I take issue with.