How do you guys view other people

[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.

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 mathematics 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]

thats hilarious

There are still people who don't 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.

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.

 

[Imparcticle]

Originally Posted by motai
There are still people who don't 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.

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 a lot 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 doesn't 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.

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 physics 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 more so 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[/size][/color]