How do you guys view other people

[Tom McCurdy]

I was wondering how people who are into math and physics in general view the public who perfers to avoid these subjects

[Kacper]

I never did think about that. Hum...I dunno...no different.

[Ivan Seeking]

I was wondering how people who are into math and physics in general view the public who perfers to avoid these subjects

It took me years to understand that most people REALLY don't want to hear about it. I always thought that if I could just present the information correctly, anyone would HAVE to be interested. How could they not?

Now I understand and respect that what drives many of us is not what drives most people. I try to see the world from both perspectives. My little brother sees the world about as differently from me as anyone could. Still, his point of view can be quite insightful at times. He drives me completely nuts about ninety nine percent of the time, but on rare occasion he makes some good sense.

I worked for a company that required that we all had personality profiles done and the color coded graphical results posted on our desks. This way, in theory an engineer can walk into a budget manager’s office, for example, and better understand the brain on the other side of the desk. A common [stereotypical] distinction was that engineers had a lot of green and blue, which to a manager means that this person will think and think from now until dooms day and never arrive at an answer. Likewise, the engineer sees all that red on the manager’s chart and he knows that this person will jump to conclusions without considering the consequences. .

[Janitor]

I sometimes chat with a man who teaches band and choir at a public school. Years ago he made the statement that the force of gravity we feel is actually the same thing as magnetism. I politely pointed out some differences between the two phenomena. But when the topic came up again much later, there he was making the same claim that he had made the first time around. He has no more than a mild interest in science.

I can't resist adding: the last time I talked to him, he said he was reading Genesis in the King James Bible, with the intention of going all the way to the Book of Revelation. He added that he was surprised that so much of Genesis is about sex!

[einsteinian77]

I view the people who aren't interested in physics and math necessary I love having a society where everyone has different skills and interests.

[Tom Mattson]

I was wondering how people who are into math and physics in general view the public who perfers to avoid these subjects

Most of my friends prefer to avoid math, science, and philosophy. I think they're really missing out on something great, but it doesn't bother them because they don't know what they're missing.

What I really wonder is how do they view me. A lot of people I know look at me like I'm not normal, when I really am just another guy trying to get along in the world. Along those same lines, Chroot wrote a piece called "Knowledge is Power" that really hit home with me (I'll see if I can find it).

edit:

here it is:

http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=15491

[Janitor]

Probably because of my upbringing, I am fascinated by people who are heavily into whatever religion they have chosen. Many of them have skills which put me to shame when it comes to things like singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, or writing poetry. But they would feel zero motivation to read even a popularization-type book on relativity, for instance. I often wonder whether there would be any religion if everybody in the world had a consuming interest in science and in rational thinking in general.

I will quote from a biogaphy of Richard Feynman that I am reading: “When he was a small child, our parents [this is his sister talking] sent him to Sunday school… He thought all this business about God and Creation was literal fact--truth… Richard began to wonder, and he realized that all the things he had been learning as if they were literal truth were merely opinion. It was devastating for him. And I think it was the reason why, for the rest of his life, he was so intense about not believing any of these things… He just did not believe the universe was put together by any supernatural being, governing anything.” Richard himself is quoted: “If there are all these different theories, different religions about the thing, then you begin to wonder… Start out understanding religion by saying, ‘Everything is possibly wrong--let’s see.’ As soon as you do that, you start sliding down an edge which is hard to recover from… Once you start doubting, which I think is a very fundamental part of my soul, it gets a little harder to believe.”

[meteor]

Well, I see the people that is not interested in physics like the intermediate link between me and an animal

[Tom Mattson]

Well, I see the people that is not interested in physics like the intermediate link between me and an animal

That's not very scientific of you, meteor. We are animals, too. :wink:

[meteor]

i meant a savage animal

[Math Is Hard]

I worked for a company that required that we all had personality profiles done and the color coded graphical results posted on our desks. This way, in theory an engineer can walk into a budget manager’s office, for example, and better understand the brain on the other side of the desk.

That's hilarious, Ivan! How long ago was this? I am curious. It sounds like a 1970's thing, but were you even in the workforce then?

[jcsd]

I think my interest in physics and maths makes me like a benevolent god, showering manna on my people, but occasionally smiting the odd one or two (for example I wrote to the local council and ordered them to construct a 20ft statue of me, when this order wasn't carried out I smited them by ridiculing their knowledge of complex variables).

[Imparcticle]

Well personally I have a hard time understanding why people don't like math or physics. I really can't grasp why. It's wierd.
IvanSeeking: it never occured to me that people in general wouldn't even care if the science being discussed is accurate or not. Even more mystifying!

I am always like to consider the lack of interest as one of the greatest mysteries of [my] life.

[Chrono]

I didn't really start liking physics and math until I started going to college. I kind of see it as knowing something all powerful. Something that not everybody who you come across realizes is true. I mean, it's not every person you meet who knows how to integrate or about power series. I know a couple of girls that call me a geek pretty much just because I'm good at math (it's so cool saying that). Of course, they still get me to tutor them from time to time (what else would you expect for a couple of 13 year old girls?).

[Ivan Seeking]

That's hilarious, Ivan! How long ago was this? I am curious. It sounds like a 1970's thing...

Oh no! This was quite the "in thing" in the 1997, Portland Oregon Corporate world.

[zoobyshoe]

I was wondering how people who are into math and physics in general view the public who perfers to avoid these subjects
I think that most people have an intuitive grasp of as much physics as they'll ever need to get through life. Some people, like successful atheletes, have a superior intuitive grasp. In a similar vein, a good chef is really a good intuitive chemist. Understanding the rate at which an iron ball floating in space aborbs and releases energy, is really of no use to most people. I don't think there's anything at all wrong with being disinterested in physics.

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

i view them as just another person walking the street, but i am terrified to enter conversation in these subjects, because they really frustrate me, i have almost no patience(which is why i am never going to teach) and most of them just plain dont want to know, i question their ignorance, but its really no use, they are who they are, and we are who we are, without ous there would be no pyramids, no bridges, no spacecrafts. without them there would be no pyramids, no bridges, no spacecrafts. we go hand in hand, we think of it, they build it, we coexist, we have to, we need to, for our survival

never argue with a dumber person, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

[Janitor]

we think of it, they build it- i_wish

And some of us clean it. :smile:

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

And some of us clean it. :smile:
hehehe, we all gotta start somewhere, i clean many things that we thought of, pretty soon i'll be the one doing the thinking

[Math Is Hard]

Oh no! This was quite the "in thing" in the 1997, Portland Oregon Corporate world.

Ahhhh... I remember this. This was the early beginnings of the much-touted "Corporate Culture" when CEOs whizzed around on roller skates and everyone brought their dog to work and the office had to be Feng-Shui'd on a monthly basis. :smile:

But I can relate to the card-system a little bit, as I am bi-lingual, and speak both "tech" and "marketing". I worked like a U.N. translator between the two departments and the work could get pretty grueling at times.

[Ivan Seeking]

Really I did find it helpful. It acted as a constant reminder of the differing perspectives found throughout the company. A scientific, analytic approach to the world works well to a point. In many areas this approach fails.

In my line of work, engineers are famously bad business people. After hanging out my shingle I quickly learned that there are some really smart business people who are well versed in "handling" the engineering mind. Logic often plays no obvious role in what happens next. It is all a big game. I spend half of my time trying to figure out how I'm getting screwed this month.

I would advise that one should never underestimate just how smart non-science people can be. Remember, budget managers run the world not engineers and scientists.

[mooberrymarz]

Unity in diversity. I love maths and that freaks out some of my friends, but it doesnt really make me look at them differently. One of my friends does drama and she is as nutty as you get and is wicked funny.. she's the one on campus who walks around beating a drum and chanting stuff, .....the world would be a boring place if just had mathematicians, so I embrace people like that. being with people with diffrent interests broadens your own view of the world.

[Dissident Dan]

It annoys me when people tell me of their disdain for math. "But math 'runs' everything!" I tell them. I cannot understand their viewpoints, but I accept them.

I think that if people were more interested in math and physics, we'd have less religion. [:)]

[Tom McCurdy]

I find myself frustrated by so many peoples strong beliefs in religon without being able to first look at all other religions and question their faith, and secondly to perfer to be ignornant to physics. It drives me crazy when people say something like the world is 10,000 years old, I just want to say prove it. Wait you can't, but I can prove you wrong. Also in general I am find people's lack of interest in the way the world works hard to understand. I am new to the world of physics, having my first course this year, but when I try to talk my friends about say SR or GR or just physics in general they say things like "Shut Up... Just go Home" in a sarcastic voice, or just repeat "no" every time I try to start a conversation. They would perfer to talk about what body kit they can get for their car. The worst part is that these are fellow math and science center students. I know that they aren't dumb, they do very well in things like math and science they just perfer to stay out of things. It will take me some time to acept this, although I see the rational behind it, it will just take me some time. (for example I compare it to my interest in subjects such as english and learning about the great authors of the past, although I am mildly interested in it, I find myself becomming bored quickly while others could talk about Poe for years making up symbolism along the way)

[Tom McCurdy]

I think that if people were more interested in math and physics, we'd have less religion. [:)]
I fully agree, although I am not suggesting that a knowledge of physics would make everyone atheists I am simply stating that I hope it would make them at least question certain beliefs. Such as the beginning of the universe and evolution.

[Janitor]

I am find people's lack of interest in the way the world works hard to understand.- Tom

I can't remember for sure whether I have ever heard a believer ever express it this way, but one reason for a hardcore believer-in-the-afterlife to be lazy about learning science (or history, or most anything I guess) is that All Will Be Revealed To Them when they get to go inside Heaven's pearly gates. So why knock yourself out trying to learn and figure things out in your finite time here on Earth, when all that earthly knowledge and more is going to be poured into your head free of charge, free of effort, once you get Up There.

[zoobyshoe]

I know enough people whose disinterest in physics is completely unrelated to religious beliefs to know that if you subtracted all religion from the world the percentage of people interested in physics would be about the same.

The truth is, physics takes alot of concentration and effort to learn. A body at rest, stays at rest...

I don't think it would necessarily be a good idea to strip fervently religious people of their religion and give them physics. The translation of religious impulses to physics is what causes crackpots and cranks, inventors of free-energy machines, and the strange guy I ran into once who began to lecture me about the ethics of electrons.

[Janitor]

You are probably right about that, Z.

[meteor]

the problem is:
Maths and Physics are the key for the understanding of the universe.
Since the human race got out of the caves, there're been two kind of peoples: science oriented and non science oriented. Science oriented invented the radio, the TV, internet, learned about how cure heart diseases, transplanting organs, etc. They were benevolent, and i can say that the major part of the science people i have found are of good heart.
Non science people just roamed through the world eating, drinking, robbing , sleeping and raping. They made wars just for the greed of richness, or in the name of some ancient book (bible, koran,etc). And the fraction of the non science people that acted politely, I think that their dislike for science was seeded in their heads by their parents, perhaps just punishing them if they didn't went to mass, or if htey found them reading some science book. The case of the scarce participation, of women in science is also clear for me. There are families that prefer that their sons do the studies and the girls do the home tasks. So the girl don't have any opportunity to get an education. Though this is changing in the more developed countries
So, it's true that we need non-scientist persons? Is this good for them? Is this good for us?
What can do non scientist persons to save the humanity from the burning out of the sun in about 4'5 billion of years?

[zoobyshoe]

Neither science nor scientists can be considered benevolent as a matter of course. Science has contributed heavily to the persuit of war. Einstein was the one who was asked by Leo Slizzard to use his fame to get to President Roosevelt and tell him it was very possible the Germans were working on a terrible weapon based on radioactive elements, and that it might be a good idea for him to take counter measures. And, of course, all the teams that worked on the bomb were physicists.

[Math Is Hard]

I don't think Mother Teresa was particularly interested in physics or science, but her contributions to humanity were immense nonetheless.

[Tom McCurdy]

Of course people who don't study physics can make impacts on the world for good. All that takes is the want to do good, however I still feel that she could have benefited from a good watch of the Elegant Universe.

[Math Is Hard]

LOL!!! I am sure she would have enjoyed it very much!

[Chi Meson]

never argue with a dumber person, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Brilliant! That explains those moments of "Oh my God! I can't believe I'm having this argument!"

I also don't mind it if people have no interest in Physics, but what gets me are those who feel that it is some sort of democratic process where any cracked idea is just as valid as centuries of scientific development.

I have a notion that there are some who found science so difficult in school that they have created, in defense, an impermeable membrane that filters out any incidental scientific knowledge that floats by for the rest fo their life.

e.g. How could my 48 year old neighbor still not know that caterpillars will later become butterflies? How could she have missed that? It makes me want to disregard anything she ever says ever again because her sensory input must be faulty!

And when I get a student in high school who argues with me over the Earth going around the Sun (and this is not the fault of the schools, I assure you), I think "Oh no, in two years this guy is going to be allowed to vote."

[Tom McCurdy]

And when I get a student in high school who argues with me over the Earth going around the Sun (and this is not the fault of the schools, I assure you), I think "Oh no, in two years this guy is going to be allowed to vote."
haha exactly how I feel...

[motai]

And when I get a student in high school who argues with me over the Earth going around the Sun (and this is not the fault of the schools, I assure you), I think "Oh no, in two years this guy is going to be allowed to vote."

There are still people who dont know this? :eek:

Then again, the Flat-Earth society is still around... http://www.flat-earth.org/. BTW, they believe that Idaho or North Dakota does not exist. :biggrin:

[TALewis]

I also don't mind it if people have no interest in Physics, but what gets me are those who feel that it is some sort of democratic process where any cracked idea is just as valid as centuries of scientific development.

Exactly. The conversation usually begins with, "Oh, I have a theory..." No, you have a grossly uninformed hypothesis with no basis in reality whatsoever. The word "theory" is reserved for something that's well tested by experiment and can make useful predictions about natural phenomena.

"I have a theory" is best translated as, "I have made something up." It might be fun, but it's not science -- yet. It takes a lifetime's work to turn a funny idea (such as Newton's apple falling from a tree == the moon falling around the earth) into a scientific theory. Most of the cranks you see aren't interested in the scientific method.

[jimmy p]

I am the only person who takes Physics to full A-level in college. It gets very lonely. When I tell people fascinating facts they just have the "bunny in headlights" look on their face, but I'm used to that, I'm unfazed, because sometimes the knowledge does go through, and if I can interest one person, then that is good enough for me. However I'm not smart enough to be truly segregated from everyone else, so I dont feel that different. Sometimes it helps to be as dumb as toast.

[Chi Meson]

... When I tell people fascinating facts they just have the "bunny in headlights" look on their face...

Oh, I know that look. I learned my first year in college that one way to NOT get invited to parties is to try to actually answer people when they say things like "I've always wondered how flourescent lights work."

Turns out they don't care how they work, and they really don't want to know!

[zoobyshoe]

Oh, I know that look. I learned my first year in college that one way to NOT get invited to parties is to try to actually answer people when they say things like "I've always wondered how flourescent lights work."

Turns out they don't care how they work, and they really don't want to know!
Be fair, now! The glaze in their eyes is really their way of saying "Whoops! I didn't realize the minimum answer was book-length! What have I gotten myself into?"

[Math Is Hard]

I just explain how physicists collect the magic lightning gas from rays of starlight and then use it to fill up each tube and make it glow.
That's not so long is it?

[Ivan Seeking]

Turns out they don't care how they work, and they really don't want to know!

Funny this comes as a big surprise isn't it?

During my senior hear I had the same Professor for the entire QM series. If we were starting into some really interesting material, he would sometimes start by saying that "if you want to ruin a party, bring up the subject of ..."

i.e. How effectively a topic might ruin a party is a measure of how interesting the subject is to us. :biggrin:

[Ivan Seeking]

Be fair, now! The glaze in their eyes is really their way of saying "Whoops! I didn't realize the minimum answer was book-length! What have I gotten myself into?"

I don't agree Zooby. In some cases this is true I'm sure, but I find that the glaze reaction is mostly word, or even concept dependent. Depending on the person of course, I might spontaneously trigger the glaze by accidentally citing a specific unit of measure such as Newtons, ohms, or even amps. Cite a famous scientist like Einstein or Heisenberg, glaze. Cite a “scientific” study, theory, law, or other reference, glaze. Cite anything mathematical, glaze. You can’t carry on a conversation like that. It is like walking through a mine field. Let’s be safe: Let’s talk about the Trailblazers. :devil:

[TALewis]

Try explaining the difference between energy and power. Complete glaze.

[Ivan Seeking]

I think my brother in law still thinks I made up Special Relativity. He simply did not believe me.

I got the same reaction when I forgot myself at a family reunion near St. Louis. I mentioned that trees come as male and female. Whoops. Should have never said that one.

Got the old elbow in the rib years ago when, before it was more generally konwn, I mentioned the connection between influenza, and chickens and pigs in China. Whoops. Should have never said that one.

[zoobyshoe]

I don't agree Zooby. In some cases this is true I'm sure, but I find that the glaze reaction is mostly word, or even concept dependent.
Yes, I see what you're saying now. (However, being long of wind, myself, I get the glaze more often from that than anything else.)

[Ivan Seeking]

Yes, I see what you're saying now. (However, being long of wind, myself, I get the glaze more often from that than anything else.)

Well, okay. I also had to learn to shut up. Hopefully one day I will. :biggrin:

[DarkAnt]

wow, this is the exact opposite of what I experience. People ask me to tell them something interesting (doesn't have to be anything related to science, but almost always does) all the time, mostly when they are bored. Maybe you all just hang around the wrong crowd. Besides all you have to do is post something on the pf and lots of people will be interested in it, like me.

[DarkAnt]

Actually, now that I think about it I have recently had a run in like this. Remember when the hubble took the deepest picture of space that has ever been seen? well my english teacher brought it up and for some reason he thought this meant that the galaxy was much larger than what was previously thought. So he concluded that the big bang and all that had just been proven to be untrue. I just sat there stunned, I didn't even try to tell the guy he was wrong.

[Janitor]

I just sat there stunned, I didn't even try to tell the guy he was wrong.- DarkAnt

In my churchgoing days as a kid, I remember that during a sermon, to illustrate some point he was making, the minister said (and this is an exact quote, I'm sure of that): "Did you know that sound and light are the same thing, just at different frequencies?"

Had he said, "Sound and light both have some wave properties," then I would not have had a problem. But I've got all sorts of problems with the thing he actually did say.

[Imparcticle]

Actually, now that I think about it I have recently had a run in like this. Remember when the hubble took the deepest picture of space that has ever been seen? well my english teacher brought it up and for some reason he thought this meant that the galaxy was much larger than what was previously thought. So he concluded that the big bang and all that had just been proven to be untrue. I just sat there stunned, I didn't even try to tell the guy he was wrong.


Don't teachers generally get annoyed when you correct them or try to? Or when you challenge them?

[Imparcticle]

Well, okay. I also had to learn to shut up. Hopefully one day I will. :biggrin:


oh, please don't. You're very amusing and interesting to "listen" to.

[Njorl]

I find it surprising how rare a skill a good grasp of mathmatics is. A friend of mine works as an economist at an energy trading company. He says they have a hard time finding people who are really qualified to do the math modelling they need. Keeping them is even harder. Part of the problem is, at the workplace, they are in competition with "people persons". The people-persons are more skilled at taking credit for work, and selling themselves. The math people see high ranking idiots getting paid for their work, and quit.

Njorl

[Njorl]

Don't teachers generally get annoyed when you correct them or try to? Or when you challenge them?

Most do, but the best consider being challenged by a student the ultimate success.

I remember my high-school American history teacher. He was generally hated. He didn't care. He would do the normal teaching chores, but once in a while he would wander off into terribly wrong territory. He was hoping for students to catch on and challenge him. He would then berate us for swallowing the garbage he was feeding us. Eventually, the class learned to think. We would engage in genuine debates, some of us even learned to take up "devil's advocate" positions and argue forcefully. By the end, some of were willing to challenge even well accepted views.

I think it only takes one teacher like this to teach someone to think. I was lucky enough to have more than one. I fear that many people never have one.

Njorl

[Chi Meson]

Well, okay. I also had to learn to shut up. Hopefully one day I will.

My wife has taken on the responsibility of letting me know when to stop. This has increased my popularity at parties tremendously! Nowadays, people come up to me and ask how things work: my wife will give me a visual or physical sign that says "that's enough." And everybody's happy!

I learned an important lesson a little late: let people find out how smart you are, but never tell them how smart you are.

[Tom McCurdy]

There are still people who dont know this? :eek:

Then again, the Flat-Earth society is still around... http://www.flat-earth.org/. BTW, they believe that Idaho or North Dakota does not exist. :biggrin:
wow... went to the site

wow

[Gokul43201]

My advisor (who does low Temp, low noise measurements) has his wife introduce him at parties as a refrigerator repairman !

Eventually, though, the people he is talking to figure out he's a physicist, and amble away.

[zoobyshoe]

My advisor (who does low Temp, low noise measurements)...
Low frequency noise or just low volume?

[Gokul43201]

Our typical signals strengths are in the picovolts...so yes, low noise-amplitude - of course, the frequency of the noise is important too. You don't really care as much, if there's loads of noise far from your measurement frequency.

[Ivan Seeking]

My wife has taken on the responsibility of letting me know when to stop. This has increased my popularity at parties tremendously! Nowadays, people come up to me and ask how things work: my wife will give me a visual or physical sign that says "that's enough." And everybody's happy!

Tsunami and I do the same thing only she prefers to hit me over the head with a heavy, blunt object. This keeps me quiet until I regain consciousness. :biggrin:

[Imparcticle]

Originally Posted by motai
There are still people who dont know this?

Then again, the Flat-Earth society is still around... http://www.flat-earth.org/. BTW, they believe that Idaho or North Dakota does not exist.


That is really wierd. This is wierder: .

2) What is the "middle corner"?
If one was to draw a line from each corner to the centre of the opposing side of the Earth, the line would intersect in the middle of the Flat Earth. This place is known as the Middle Corner.

3). Does the "middle corner" prove that 5=6?
Yes.

[mooberrymarz]

I showed the flat-earth website to my astronomy professor... he laughed for like a full 5 minutes before asking me " who made this bull$%^# up?". yeah. 5=6

[Imparcticle]

hey do you think it's just a joke or something? Seriously, they think that tv producers are enforcing some sort of mind control. You have to see this if you haven't:

http://www.cca.org/woc/felfat/
and
http://www.cca.org/woc/felfat/felfat2.html

and to finish it off (their first expidition; this link comes with photos):
http://www.cca.org/woc/felfat/exp1.html

I seriously think this whole thing is a joke.

[Dissident Dan]

Did anyone notice that this douche's name is supposedly "Lee Harvey Oswald Smith"?

[The_Professional]

I believe the flat earth society is a spoof. Similar to that website where they put live kittens in a bottle and supposedly sell them.

It's all just a joke

[Chi Meson]

I believe the flat earth society is a spoof. Similar to that website where they put live kittens in a bottle and supposedly sell them.

It's all just a joke

I have a friend from long ago who was a "flat-earther." He was indeed a joker, and his strength was that he would keep a joke going, straight-faced, for ever. As long as I knew him he claimed belief in various absurd things including: Scotland was a 3rd-world country full of savages; a t-shirt that he wore which read "Bombay Bicycle Club" actually said "Indiana Motorcycle Corporation (as well as the flat-earth). He was a joker who took his jokes seriously and never, ever cracked by saying he was jopking.

I'm pretty sure that many member so the flat-earth society are actual crackpots, but some are just absurdists. I have no idea in what mode it was begun.

[Math Is Hard]

Coincidentally, I noticed recently that musician Thomas Dolby is a "Flat Earth-er".
http://www.tdolby.com

[wasteofo2]

To some of you people who just can't understand why people aren't engrossed in Math and Physics, did you think that other people who are engrossed in literature, music, sports, cinema, politics, dance, drugs, carpentry, etc. look at you in the same light?

Some of you demonstrated a pretty arrogant attitude, implying that people who didn't know as much Physics or Math as you were somehow stupid, inferior, etc. For most of you however, Physics and Math are just hobbies or professions, right? I mean, are any of you interested in Physics and Math for any other reasons than satisfying your curiosity or to make money? Perhaps if you use your knowledge of Physics of Math to create something you could feel superior (Newton certainly had bragging rights), but if it's just a hobby or a profession, how would it make you superior to someone who goes to concerts and plays piano in their free time, or someone who likes to modify their car or something?

Anyway, I'm preparing to be flamed by physicists *Erects shield of ice and stone*

Peace,
Jacob

[Imparcticle]

To some of you people who just can't understand why people aren't engrossed in Math and Physics, did you think that other people who are engrossed in literature, music, sports, cinema, politics, dance, drugs, carpentry, etc. look at you in the same light?

That is obvious. Everyone looks at other people in different perspectives. While other people passionately dedicate their lives to better their understanding of this wonderful, intericate, elegant universe we live in, others indulge themselves in the beauty of music, sports and politics.
The misunderstanding (on the behalf of science oriented people) arises from the realization of how the incomprehensible complexity of the universe gives light to a certain elegance, one that I have insufficient words to describe. I have loved the study of the universe since I can remember; at the same time, I have liked literature and music...but my liking for those subjects in general (science can be applied to all the aformentioned subjects so to exclude that I say "in general") are limited. I can't see how anyone can't see how wonderful the universe is. For example, the symmetry, the relationships of things that seem opposite to one another are in fact related in some way. The universe is in perfect balance, and to study just how is my passion.
Just because that is my passion does not mean I disdain other fields besides science. I play 2 instruments, enjoy sports, love dancing, and reading (yes, fiction books).

A suggestion: you should give science a try! You'll like it. :biggrin:

For most of you however, Physics and Math are just hobbies or professions, right? I mean, are any of you interested in Physics and Math for any other reasons than satisfying your curiosity or to make money? Perhaps if you use your knowledge of Physics of Math to create something you could feel superior (Newton certainly had bragging rights), but if it's just a hobby or a profession, how would it make you superior to someone who goes to concerts and plays piano in their free time, or someone who likes to modify their car or something?
No one said it would make themselves superior to anyone. If I am mistaken, please show me were someone did (on this thread).


Have you read the whole thread? Note zoobyshoe's wise posts:


I think that most people have an intuitive grasp of as much physics as they'll ever need to get through life. Some people, like successful atheletes, have a superior intuitive grasp. In a similar vein, a good chef is really a good intuitive chemist. Understanding the rate at which an iron ball floating in space aborbs and releases energy, is really of no use to most people. I don't think there's anything at all wrong with being disinterested in physics.



I know enough people whose disinterest in physics is completely unrelated to religious beliefs to know that if you subtracted all religion from the world the percentage of people interested in physics would be about the same.

The truth is, physics takes alot of concentration and effort to learn. A body at rest, stays at rest...

I don't think it would necessarily be a good idea to strip fervently religious people of their religion and give them physics. The translation of religious impulses to physics is what causes crackpots and cranks, inventors of free-energy machines, and the strange guy I ran into once who began to lecture me about the ethics of electrons.


Apparently, there are some who do not think their love of physics and mathematics makes them superior:


originally posted by mooberrymarz
Unity in diversity. I love maths and that freaks out some of my friends, but it doesnt really make me look at them differently. One of my friends does drama and she is as nutty as you get and is wicked funny.. she's the one on campus who walks around beating a drum and chanting stuff, .....the world would be a boring place if just had mathematicians, so I embrace people like that. being with people with diffrent interests broadens your own view of the world.

originally posted by Dissident Dan

It annoys me when people tell me of their disdain for math. "But math 'runs' everything!" I tell them. I cannot understand their viewpoints, but I accept them.

Acceptance is not a way of making oneself supirior to others. Just because someone doesn't understand other people's view points doesn't neccesarily make the people dislike each other.

originally posted by zoobyshoe

Neither science nor scientists can be considered benevolent as a matter of course. Science has contributed heavily to the persuit of war. Einstein was the one who was asked by Leo Slizzard to use his fame to get to President Roosevelt and tell him it was very possible the Germans were working on a terrible weapon based on radioactive elements, and that it might be a good idea for him to take counter measures. And, of course, all the teams that worked on the bomb were physicists.


Though there may be some posts that support your conception of all science oriented people, it is a matter of opinion.

PEACE

[Imparcticle]

Did anyone notice that this douche's name is supposedly "Lee Harvey Oswald Smith"?

That's creepy! :surprise:

[Math Is Hard]

Anyway, I'm preparing to be flamed by physicists *Erects shield of ice and stone*


I can't imagine why you would be flamed. You haven't said anything illogical or inflammatory in my opinion. You have simply stated that if someone has a particular interest in a subject, he/she doesn't have any right to think less of someone who has no interest in the subject. I agree with you.

[Imparcticle]

In that case, I agree too.

[cookiemonster]

In general, I like other people. I suppose there are a few exceptions for people I don't like, but not many.

But what does physics have to do with people? Math and physics are kind of personal things, y'know? Well, at least to me they are.

I like people for people and whatever they're interested in. Anybody that talks to me knows that you'd probably have to ask me before I'd start talking about math/physics. In fact, most of my non-science-type friends talk about it more than I do! But I suppose that's true for most topics...

cookiemonster

[Math Is Hard]

hey, cookiemonster - what do you think of people who aren't interested in cookies???

[cragwolf]

hey, cookiemonster - what do you think of people who aren't interested in cookies???

Obviously, he likes them, because they leave more cookies for him! http://www.groom-family.com/forum/images/smilies/1263.gif

[cookiemonster]

cragwolf is a sharp one.

cookiemonster

[Tom McCurdy]

So what would one say to someone who actually believed the bull**** of flat earth... My point being that a lot of people believe scripture over scientific evidence. So how do you deal with something if science is able to prove a normally held thought is wrong say string theory with more dimensions or something goes against scripture.

[Math Is Hard]

So what would one say to someone who actually believed the bull**** of flat earth... My point being that a lot of people believe scripture over scientific evidence. So how do you deal with something if science is able to prove a normally held thought is wrong say string theory with more dimensions or something goes against scripture.

Well, the nice thing is that you can say anything you darn well please. There was a time on this planet when they'd string you up for saying such things. :smile:

I am not sure what you mean when you say "deal with something". Normally when you "deal with something" you are resolving it within your own belief system or you are combatting arguments or hostility from people who do not share your views. Is this what you are experiencing? (The latter, I mean).

[Tom McCurdy]

It seems like today physics and normal life conflicting more and more and that people rather believe in their perfect instinctal world rather than accepting or even examining new areas of physics like string theory.

[Zantra]

Really I did find it helpful. It acted as a constant reminder of the differing perspectives found throughout the company. A scientific, analytic approach to the world works well to a point. In many areas this approach fails.

In my line of work, engineers are famously bad business people. After hanging out my shingle I quickly learned that there are some really smart business people who are well versed in "handling" the engineering mind. Logic often plays no obvious role in what happens next. It is all a big game. I spend half of my time trying to figure out how I'm getting screwed this month.

I would advise that one should never underestimate just how smart non-science people can be. Remember, budget managers run the world not engineers and scientists.

The business end of things can be cut throat-especially when you're a single contractor dealing with a business- you simply don't have the resources a medium or large company has.

I have a friend who's pursing his MBA.. they are teaching him some interesting things.. They are using aspects of real life situations such as Enron as a business model. Passing the buck to make it look like someone else screwed up.. And that's the future CEO's coming out of business school..

[Zantra]

I sense undertones of elitism laced throughout this thread also..(though not from everyone). Some facts to remember:

The average IQ is 100. Full comprehension of advanced phsyics and math at this level would be difficult, and require substantially more work than someone with say, an IQ of 130 or 140, and might seem a bit more daunting.

As it's already been pointed out, one man's trash is another's treasure. I find certain things extremely boring and repetative while others might find them fascinating. For instance, I once tried to teach. It went horribly, and I realized I lacked the patience and grace to handle this vocation. However I have (even moreso now) the utmost respect for those who pursue it. After all, if there weren't teachers, who would teach us?

My point is that it's all about perspective. How many of you INTJ's think they could paint a picture worth hanging in a gallery, let alone something on par with Piccasso or Degas? We each have a role to play in life. I admit to being in certain situations where I was frustrated at trying to explain "basic concepts" to people who just didn't get it. But I try not to assume that they have nothing to contribute..

anyhow, it's late and I'm rambling...

[Pleiades]

Did anyone notice that this douche's name is supposedly "Lee Harvey Oswald Smith"?

His name is actually Reverend Brother Pope Lee Harvey Oswald Smith, KSC WMD :rofl: