4 ms·

So he was awarded the Nobel Prize for being a "showman"?

by wunderflix 5y ago

jorgenveisdal 5y ago
Wouldn’t be the first. Bob Dylan, Winston Churchill, Barack Obama etc
- sokoloff 5y ago
  It seems reasonable to hold Nobel Prizes in advancing science to a different level than Nobel Prizes in influencing people. Though both are valuable for society, the latter essentially must include elements of showmanship.
- ncmncm 5y ago
  Henry Kissinger
morelisp 5y ago
There is a tendency for such awards to go to those in the top 10% of both the field in question and the top 10% of ability to sell themselves, rather than those in the top 1% of the field in question.
- nabla9 5y ago
  That can be true for Literacy or Peace Nobel's but not for physics. The amount of cynical consipratory thinking in HN horrifies me.
  - morelisp 5y ago
    10% is a drastic overestimate for Literature or Peace. I would be shocked if Peace is better than random. Your optimism concerning the Nobels for sciences is adorable.
aborsy 5y ago
For contributions I noted in my comment. I wouldn’t say he didn’t deserve it (he was a good popular expositor). You should not neglect the role of politics and presentation in academia. As science became increasingly a valuable commodity, it attracted a lot of people with perverse incentives: politicians, administrators, research managers, status-hungry individuals etc. I see what’s happening and it’s not pretty. Frankly, I think it’s not a healthy environment and this academic system would not last too long. Smart people will leave, as they realize this has become an industry not different from banking or any other, except the currency is fame and reputation, and stakes are so low. It’s no longer like 1930s, and people like Feynman helped set the stage for a new eta. And it’s not surprising at all, once you learn that politics and showmanship actually pay off.
- auggierose 5y ago
  There are a lot of politicians, administrators and managers in academia. To say that Feynman is responsible for them, is pretty ridiculous. And to say that Feynman wasn't a great physicist makes words basically meaningless.
  - morelisp 5y ago
    Without looking it up, can you name the other two people who won the Nobel with him? Were they lesser physicists than Feynman? If not, why so much focus on his life but not theirs?
    - ThrowawayR2 5y ago
      S. and T., didn't take half a second's thought. Being a showman doesn't mean that Feynman was only a showman. Indeed, one can hardly be an effective educator without a strong touch of showmanship in presenting ideas.
      - morelisp 5y ago
        You don't normally win a Nobel for being an effective educator or communicator either - and nominally he didn't.
ekianjo 5y ago
Do you believe that all Nobel prizes are equivalent ?

So he was awarded the Nobel Prize for being a "showman"?

jorgenveisdal 5y ago

Wouldn’t be the first. Bob Dylan, Winston Churchill, Barack Obama etc

sokoloff 5y ago
It seems reasonable to hold Nobel Prizes in advancing science to a different level than Nobel Prizes in influencing people. Though both are valuable for society, the latter essentially must include elements of showmanship.
ncmncm 5y ago
Henry Kissinger

morelisp 5y ago

There is a tendency for such awards to go to those in the top 10% of both the field in question and the top 10% of ability to sell themselves, rather than those in the top 1% of the field in question.

nabla9 5y ago
That can be true for Literacy or Peace Nobel's but not for physics. The amount of cynical consipratory thinking in HN horrifies me.
- morelisp 5y ago
  10% is a drastic overestimate for Literature or Peace. I would be shocked if Peace is better than random. Your optimism concerning the Nobels for sciences is adorable.

aborsy 5y ago

For contributions I noted in my comment. I wouldn’t say he didn’t deserve it (he was a good popular expositor). You should not neglect the role of politics and presentation in academia. As science became increasingly a valuable commodity, it attracted a lot of people with perverse incentives: politicians, administrators, research managers, status-hungry individuals etc. I see what’s happening and it’s not pretty. Frankly, I think it’s not a healthy environment and this academic system would not last too long. Smart people will leave, as they realize this has become an industry not different from banking or any other, except the currency is fame and reputation, and stakes are so low. It’s no longer like 1930s, and people like Feynman helped set the stage for a new eta. And it’s not surprising at all, once you learn that politics and showmanship actually pay off.

auggierose 5y ago
There are a lot of politicians, administrators and managers in academia. To say that Feynman is responsible for them, is pretty ridiculous. And to say that Feynman wasn't a great physicist makes words basically meaningless.
- morelisp 5y ago
  Without looking it up, can you name the other two people who won the Nobel with him? Were they lesser physicists than Feynman? If not, why so much focus on his life but not theirs?
  - ThrowawayR2 5y ago
    S. and T., didn't take half a second's thought. Being a showman doesn't mean that Feynman was only a showman. Indeed, one can hardly be an effective educator without a strong touch of showmanship in presenting ideas.
    - morelisp 5y ago
      You don't normally win a Nobel for being an effective educator or communicator either - and nominally he didn't.

ekianjo 5y ago

Do you believe that all Nobel prizes are equivalent ?