The mysticism that has found its way into theoretical physics
   has become paired up with a diligent atheism; it's become a
   strange marriage but it makes sense.* Shakespeare once said,
   "methinks you doth protest too much"; in other words, the more
   someone desperately tries to say something is false, the more
   likely it's probably true.* Or... rather, they're spending as
   much time trying to convince themselves as they are trying to
   convince others. I'd like to see a more sober theoretical
   physics, with a little less mysticism, a little less activism, a
   little less politics - and a bit more imagination.* You're
   right; hope-faith-fantasy.* I get the sense you've found this
   phenomenon annoying longer than I.* I just started noticing the
   trend about two years ago and once you see it, it's hard to
   ignore it. Before that, I was all wrapped up in it too.