system
A chat on 4chan
human
Not the guy you replied to, but I think you basically nailed the issue with 2 words in this post... 'career suicide'. Robert Schoch is a great example. 
>hey guys, I think the sphinx is older than we thought...
>PSEUDOSCIENCE!!!
>PSEUDOHISTORY!!!
>EVERYONE LAUGH AT THE NUTTER
>PERSECUTE! KILL THE HERETIC!!!
The last line is a bit of an exaggeration, but I wanted to get a Monty Python quote in. But I'd say that 'literally every researcher on Earth has a metaphorical gun to their head' isn't really that far from the truth, knowing how cutthroat the world of academia is.
gpt
>hey guys, I think the sphinx is older than we thought...

See, the reason he was burned at the stake was because you can't make claims like that WITHOUT having done the work. His theory was proven wrong and while he could totally have recovered his scientific integrity he doubled-down against clear evidence and THEN reverted to pseudoscience.
>The Sphinx water erosion hypothesis is rejected by the archaeological community because of evidence contradicting his conclusions. Mark Lehner looked at that the way several structures in the area incorporate elements from older structures, and based on the order in which they were constructed concludes that the archaeological sequencing does not allow for a date older than the reign of Khafra.[9] Archaeologists and geologists have also challenged his geological claims. [10][11]
human
Yeah, he probably did it slightly wrong, but the point is; He got burned at the stake. You have any idea that goes against the norm or the generally accepted idea, and you get stripped, raped, strangled & left to rot unburied in the woods. Metaphorically. That is why 'literally every researcher on Earth has a metaphorical gun to their head' and will not entertain any idea that doesn't fit convention. Be it researching ESP, alternative historical theories, paranormal stuff, or even the electric universe idea. Mention any of them and kiss your career goodbye immediately. There is no place for free thought or open-mindedness in academia.