You folks tell me if this deserves its own thread.
Science, Engineering, and Uncoolness
Nowadays, it seems that the correlation between sciency stuff, social ineptitude, and uncoolness, is cemented in the mind of the public. But this seems to be very era-specific, even time-specific.
As a lesswronger, I find this ironic: In Islamic countries, “scientists” are called with the same word use for religious leaders and other teachers, “olama”, literally “knowers”, historically there’s been a huge overlap between the two, and, when one of these folks speaks, you’re supposed to shut up and listen. This is still true to this day. There might not be much wealth to be gained from marrying a scientist, but there was status; amusingly enough, it’s in modern-day materialism that is pushing them into irrelevance as money becomes, more and more, the sole measure of status.
In the West, in the XIXth century, Science and Progress were hip and awesome. Being a scientist of some sort was practically a requirement for any pulp hero. In the USA, an era of great works of engineering that had a dramatic impact on life quality made engineers heroes of popular fiction, men of knowledge and rigor who would not bow down to money and lawyer-cushioned bourgeois, or to corrupt and fickle politicians, men who would stand up against injustice and get the job done no matter what. Everyone wanted to call themselves an engineer, and the word was rampantly abused into meaninglessness; florists called themselves “flower engineers”! That’s how cool being an engineer was.
In the Soviet Union, as long as they didn’t step on the toes of the Party, scientists were highly acclaimed and respected, they got tons of honor and status. There was a huge emphasis on technological progress, on mankind reaching its full potential, at least on paper.
Nowadays, nearly the entire leadership of China is made of technicians and engineers. Not lawyers, or economists, or literati. These people only care about one thing, getting the job done, and that’s what Science does.
So, I’ve really got to ask, when and how did Science and Engineering become “uncool”, and why are they termed “geek”, the term used for sideshow circus performers whose specialty was eating chickens alive (or something like that)? How can the process be reversed? Because, from a utilitarian standpoint, Science being cool and appreciated and respectable is kind of important.
You folks tell me if this deserves its own thread.
Science, Engineering, and Uncoolness
Nowadays, it seems that the correlation between sciency stuff, social ineptitude, and uncoolness, is cemented in the mind of the public. But this seems to be very era-specific, even time-specific.
As a lesswronger, I find this ironic: In Islamic countries, “scientists” are called with the same word use for religious leaders and other teachers, “olama”, literally “knowers”, historically there’s been a huge overlap between the two, and, when one of these folks speaks, you’re supposed to shut up and listen. This is still true to this day. There might not be much wealth to be gained from marrying a scientist, but there was status; amusingly enough, it’s in modern-day materialism that is pushing them into irrelevance as money becomes, more and more, the sole measure of status.
In the West, in the XIXth century, Science and Progress were hip and awesome. Being a scientist of some sort was practically a requirement for any pulp hero. In the USA, an era of great works of engineering that had a dramatic impact on life quality made engineers heroes of popular fiction, men of knowledge and rigor who would not bow down to money and lawyer-cushioned bourgeois, or to corrupt and fickle politicians, men who would stand up against injustice and get the job done no matter what. Everyone wanted to call themselves an engineer, and the word was rampantly abused into meaninglessness; florists called themselves “flower engineers”! That’s how cool being an engineer was.
In the Soviet Union, as long as they didn’t step on the toes of the Party, scientists were highly acclaimed and respected, they got tons of honor and status. There was a huge emphasis on technological progress, on mankind reaching its full potential, at least on paper.
Nowadays, nearly the entire leadership of China is made of technicians and engineers. Not lawyers, or economists, or literati. These people only care about one thing, getting the job done, and that’s what Science does.
So, I’ve really got to ask, when and how did Science and Engineering become “uncool”, and why are they termed “geek”, the term used for sideshow circus performers whose specialty was eating chickens alive (or something like that)? How can the process be reversed? Because, from a utilitarian standpoint, Science being cool and appreciated and respectable is kind of important.
I think it’s worth a discussion thread.