Finding our worth in rankings
Another day, another link. Another article promising a new way to measure scientific impact, influence, visibility, performance. Another system, another metric, another list. And there I was—doing what so many of us do before we even admit it to ourselves. Scrolling quickly, searching for my own name. Then I found it. Top five in South Africa . And yes, I smiled. Of course I did. I felt that small rush of validation, the quiet satisfaction of being seen, measured, acknowledged. For a moment, it felt good. Maybe even deserved. And then, almost as quickly, I spiraled and sank again. Who was above me? Why not higher? How was this calculated? Who was missing? What about the other list from last month? How long before this changes? It is amazing how quickly pride can turn into comparison, and comparison into emptiness. That made me think, how much of our lives is shaped by rankings? Countries compare GDP growth, inflation, competitiveness, and happiness indexes. Universities compete in glob...