Giving references in popular texts

I have been a research scientist. In research papers, every sentence demands a reference — as if an idea belongs to only one or a few. In doing so, we unknowingly ignore many who contributed in silence. Those we ignore never complain.

Now, when I write for general readers, I prefer to use as few references as possible. It is not to diminish anyone’s contribution, nor to elevate another. It is simply to reduce complexity, to let thought flow freely, unburdened by citation, so that meaning may reach the reader without interruption.