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>> The thing is most research papers are simply not accessible to neophytes

To most neophytes that is. We only need a few of those with recently gained access to turn out to be a dormant Newton or Einstein. Society as a whole gets a better bargain.

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Indeed! And the more neophytes that take the plunge and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, the more neophytes there will be to encourage and enable other neophytes to do the same (network effects and whatnot).

I agree with your sentiment 100%, but "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps" is a phrase that came into existence to MOCK the idea that you can do it all on your own. It's obviously absurd, until it got so common that we use it without thinking. If you need a fresh quip to get the point try: "that poor mother can get by drinking her own milk!"

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