The effectiveness of the research endeavor in atherogenesis is searchingly considered because neither how to prevent nor how to cure atherosclerosis is known, and there is no decision about what atherosclerosis looks like. In the overview one of the most serious problems is failure to see the whole problem. Systematic marshalling of detail is vital; yet there must be a longer look. The first broad suggestion is to curtail the divisive trends, view the blood vessels and heart as a whole, and declare unabashedly in favor of atherosclerosis as the prime interest no matter where it appears or under what guise. The time has come when those who study atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction should rethink their approach. Research excellence is the ability to select the few experiments most likely to get at the heart of the matter. An important question is, If the experiment is successful, will it contribute to the solution of the problems of atherogenesis? There is urgent need to reduce the amount of repetitive, almost trivial, investigation and to seek more creative approaches. Several problems are suggested as examples: the neural component, the atherogenic mosaic, and the inextricable association of atherosclerosis with myocardial infarction. Even such sacrosanct rights as how to do research are briefly considered. This all constitutes an apologia of the author's own failures in this pressingly important field.