Hostile towards science?

[Olddodger]

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Hi all,

Just taking a break from biochem, and thought I'd start a discussion (way off topic)...

I've noticed that a few of people I've bumped into are outright hostile towards science and those that work in a scientific field. Not necessarily any particular segment of the population, but across the board.

Case in point, I was lounging at a coffee bar the other day just chilling (and yes, worring about biochem), when I overheard two ladies talking about their dating prospects (sorry, couldn't help but to eavesdrop, but they were being loud), and they went on about how they couldn't see why "normal" person (their words) would go into science when there was law, sales, business, marketing...etc, etc. They continued to discuss such a person in a way that was hardly flattering.

This wasn't the first time I've heard something like this lately, and a "few" times is hardly a statstically valid sample, but it stuck me as very odd because I've never heard anything like this.

It got me to thinking...who DOES speak for "science" these days? Back in the day, we had Carl Sagan, and his "Cosmos" series really sparked the fire for my wonder of the universe. Nothing I see today remotely comes close.

Sigh, rant off...gotta get back to the Krebs Cycle...

Best,
Oldie

 

[Empi]

My daughter is applying to MIT. She took a tour last month and her guide was, she admits, cute. She told me that if she got into MIT she wouldn't date any MIT guys because they're nerds.

She's going to major in Physics.

Among other things, she mentioned the increased risk of having an autistic child because her theory is it's genetic and if you're a science nerd, chances are you have one autism allele, chances are she already has the alele, so there you go.

 

[LandSpeed]

Whatever. The first thing I learned growing up was not to believe anything gossiping girls ever said. I think that what really matters to some women is communication and talking about "stuff," so with someone who's into science they're likely more introverted or thoughtful... hence, not what they're after (being the guy who's charismatic/talks all the time). There are also published studies out there showing that science majors are statistically likely to be virgins longer than other majors like art history and whatnot. So there you go. If you ask me, though, and I'm a science guy, is that I'm not really looking for a woman (not in the homo sense, either) like the ones you're talking about.

 

[QofQuimica]

Just wanted to say that there are *some* of us ladies who 😍 nerds and geeks (and fall into one of those categories ourselves). 😉

 

[Olddodger]

Hi all,

I agree, mostly...but that was just one instance.

The other few times I ran into this bordered on something else...something that felt like....well, I don't know, maybe sort of the like the folks pushing for creationism in schools...just that sort of quirky, wierd "you mean there REALLY are people that think like that?".

Then again, rumor has it that the reason that there's no Nobel Prize for Mathmatics is that Nobel's wife ran off with a Mathamatician. Could be just a lot of wifes/girlfriends/SOs are running off with science types....


LOL, Q, I WISH I could find a "science geek girl". Talk about making my day!

Best to all...

Oldie

 

[QofQuimica]

LOL, Q, I WISH I could find a "science geek girl". Talk about making my day!

Best to all...

Oldie

I predict that this thread is about to turn into a singles dating thread in, oh, about 2.4 posts.

Oldie, if you're not averse to online dating, check out http://www.sciconnect.com/ One of my geek friends met some girls on there and said the people were very geek/nerd-friendly. He didn't wind up meeting the love of his life, but he said he met some cool people and made some new friends who had the same interests.

 

[cfdavid]

Hi all,

Just taking a break from biochem, and thought I'd start a discussion (way off topic)...

I've noticed that a few of people I've bumped into are outright hostile towards science and those that work in a scientific field. Not necessarily any particular segment of the population, but across the board.

Case in point, I was lounging at a coffee bar the other day just chilling (and yes, worring about biochem), when I overheard two ladies talking about their dating prospects (sorry, couldn't help but to eavesdrop, but they were being loud), and they went on about how they couldn't see why "normal" person (their words) would go into science when there was law, sales, business, marketing...etc, etc. They continued to discuss such a person in a way that was hardly flattering.

This wasn't the first time I've heard something like this lately, and a "few" times is hardly a statstically valid sample, but it stuck me as very odd because I've never heard anything like this.

It got me to thinking...who DOES speak for "science" these days? Back in the day, we had Carl Sagan, and his "Cosmos" series really sparked the fire for my wonder of the universe. Nothing I see today remotely comes close.

Sigh, rant off...gotta get back to the Krebs Cycle...

Best,
Oldie

Sounds like you overheard some very shallow women speaking. However, my experience has been that most women/people appreciate most kinds of higher education, science being no exception (and I don't mean MD/DO).

In my opinion, what speaks for science these days is the biotech industry itself. Look at all the neat opportunities for certain PhD's in the private sector. I think doing biotech or pharm research could be really cool, in the private sector (perhaps versus academia for me anyway).

I remember talking to a TA for a bio course I had about 15 years ago, asking him why he was pursuing his Phd. He said, almost prophetically, that this is the "bio age", and it's totally true. He was excited about the entrepreneurial opportunities that biotech offered. I think he's right, whether it be patenting a relevant gene, or starting up a small lab doing cutting edge diabetes research....

I hear you though. We need a national spokesperson for getting our youth interested in science and engineering. Perhaps alternative fuels could become something of the equivalent to the space race of the 60's and 70's, where Pres. Kennedy really inspired a lot of young talent to pursue those disciplines. It's too bad that It's most likely a part of our longer term middle east stabilization plan, that we will probably keep buying oil from those countries for the foreseeable future. If not for oil, and the "stability" it offers those exporting nations, what else would they do for revenue? Granted, the world uses oil for much more than just fuel, but a truly domestic alternative fuel source in the U.S. and Europe would be devistating to the revenues of the OPEC nations....... It's a huge issue, I think. (sorry for the tangent)

 

[2008orbust]

My wife, who is a total hottie (fo sho!) had a huge crush on our physics prof/PhD during UG. He was this grizzly adams lookin dude always in flannel and sneakers with wild hair and beard, but he was crazy smart and loved to really discuss and explore topics with his students. My wife found his mind terribly attractive! She's a mensa member and chemist herself though, so I am not sure she counts as "the general public".

 

[mustang sally]

Hi,
I am a science person, nerd girl, whatever you want to call it. There is a supply and demand problem in American science today i.e. way, way too many PhDs and not enough jobs. Anyone going into scientific research (particularly the generic molecular biology kind) is going to have a hard row to hoe to even get a regular job (vs. a postdoc), never mind making any money or actually being successful. It has been theorized that because of the crappy economics, more and more Americans are turning against science and it is becoming largely the job of visa holders. These women may have been referring to the difficulty of turning a paycheck in science and wondering why anyone would want to subject themselves to that kind of lifestyle. I still love science but I find myself wondering why more and more each day as well.