{"id":2723,"date":"2025-09-26T08:10:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T07:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/21percent.org\/?p=2723"},"modified":"2026-10-13T05:38:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T04:38:34","slug":"a-fable-of-consigliere-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/21percent.org\/?p=2723","title":{"rendered":"A Fable of Consigliere University"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Extraordinary events are unfolding at a Newspaper. A hugely damaging story about Consigliere University is about to be published. The Vice Chancellor of Consigliere University sanctions its silencing. The Editor of the Newspaper calls his CEO once the implications of taking on Consigliere University become clear. The CEO orders the story be pulled.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fable goes like this<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prominent and newsworthy Professor Molloy has been accused of plagiarism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evidence is overwhelming. His students are speaking out. The press sniff the scandal. Predators smell the blood. A feeding frenzy is about to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Molloy was appointed with much fanfare and trumpeting. Though never much of an academic, Molloy is a media megastar beloved by bosses at the top of Consigliere University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A huge scandal is about to break. It will do enormous damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Office for Research Integrity was informed some years ago of serious problems with Molloy’s work. It carried out its customary policy of denial and institutional hand-washing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

In this instance the research that your concerns relate to was carried out before Professor Molloy joined the University and it would normally be for the institution at which the work was done to consider any research integrity concerns. As such we do not consider it within our remit to investigate the papers to which you refer. [Dr Alexander Twist, Head of Research Integrity at Consigliere University]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The corridors at Consigliere University are lined with posters: \u201cIgnorance is Rigour. Conformity is Integrity. Silence is Transparency<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do? The Vice Chancellor conferred with the other senior capos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We cut them off, we bury the lot,\u201d the VC said, in the kind of voice you hear in the Sopranos \u2014 ruthless, amused, smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Let’s break their legs”, said a young and excitable pro-VC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We need to isolate the bastards and make sure they stay isolated. We put our best operators on this. There’s no law too binding, there’s no price too high. Get the lawyers, get the hitmen”, said the VC quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Consigliere University, silencing is the norm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what the VC wants, the VC gets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The story is unstoppable. All that has happened is that the scandal has been deepened, with institutional complicity added to incompetence. Remember, though, it’s just a fable<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Extraordinary events are unfolding at a Newspaper. A hugely damaging story about Consigliere University is about to be published. The Vice Chancellor of Consigliere University sanctions its silencing. The Editor of the Newspaper calls his CEO once the implications of taking on\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t