> I honestly don't get what's in it for the people pushing bad science related to social-justice issues

as a first step, I would try to imagine the situations where you might produce bad science, in the name confirming something about an issue important to you.

(I think most researchers have felt the pull of striking results, and that little twinge of pain from realizing they might have been produced by a bug).

The fact that I completely don't understand it is because it's something I very much wouldn't, and don't, do. I tend to confuse people I'm arguing with about any issue that ends up being politically polarizing, because from their perspective, my worldview is a muddled mix of things. What's actually happening is that I don't conflate facts with values, and I try to only believe facts that are true, instead of taking my beliefs wholesale from the political package that makes me feel good.

By the way, I'm not talking about researchers here, I'm talking about people _pushing_ bad science. Bad science happens, and it's not even the fault of scientists lots of the time. Pushing it into policy before it's good science is the phenomenon I'm complaining about.