This is true of a lot of experiences in life though and isn't necessarily bad.
e.g. let's take a corporate example:
- New software is written to solve a problem
- It kind of works. At least, well enough that it's less of a problem
- An intern comes along and is told to make it better. They have nothing else to do so they give it their full attention for two months.
- Software runs 5x faster. Intern gets hired for doing such great work
Who should the credit for this? The person who originally solved the problem? or the intern who made it 5x faster?
At some point, does it matter? The original writer probably got credit for solving the problem and the intern got hired. Basically, everyone got some kind of benefit.
(This being HN, I am SURE there is going to be a debate about the above...)
this example isn't a great example for the academic situation given the way "getting credit" works and how important it is in academia. getting credit for your work in academia isn't just about ego, it's the currency you use to get and keep your job.
imagine if in software land you had to periodically assemble a list of your lifetime accomplishments and you were getting stack-ranked against every other dev in existence. if your list is found lacking, you have to leave software engineering for a different career.
when work gets moved from a postdoc or gradstudent to serve as a vanity project for a connected high-schooler (i'm not saying that that's what happened in this case, but it is something that happens), you're hurting an early-career scientist that is actively contributing to the field in order to support a kid that "maybe someday" will start to contribute to the field.
e.g. let's take a corporate example:
- New software is written to solve a problem
- It kind of works. At least, well enough that it's less of a problem
- An intern comes along and is told to make it better. They have nothing else to do so they give it their full attention for two months.
- Software runs 5x faster. Intern gets hired for doing such great work
Who should the credit for this? The person who originally solved the problem? or the intern who made it 5x faster?
At some point, does it matter? The original writer probably got credit for solving the problem and the intern got hired. Basically, everyone got some kind of benefit.
(This being HN, I am SURE there is going to be a debate about the above...)