3 ms·

I think you missed the entire point. Botany is great and important for some exceptionally talented person. The kind of kid that gets scholarship to a top univer

I think you missed the entire point. Botany is great and important for some exceptionally talented person. The kind of kid that gets scholarship to a top university because they’re super smart and conscientious. These people will make a difference. It’s pointless for a middle class kid of average or even slightly above average ability with nothing to fall back on. These people need to make a living. Once you’re earning a living then there’s nothing stopping you from exploring botany. The internet is full of resources. Your local college will probably let you sit in for free. Do that.

kstrauser 3y ago
You have a poor grasp on what a botanist is, why we need them, and how a kid might end up on that track. Your claim is directly analogous to “study physics on your own once you have a real job”. The notion that only the wealthy should be able to pursue critical fields is dystopian as hell. I’m not a botanist. I don’t even know that I know any. I bought a cartful of their research at the supermarket today, though.
- nemo44x 3y ago
  Unless you’re exceptional. You keep leaving that part out. There’s a parallel gradient of ability and practicality. Has to do more with ability than wealth - although wealth lets you do w/e because you’re rich. There’s reality and there’s how it “ought to be”. You’re stuck on that. Dystopian is millions of people with massive debt and unable to act on what they paid for it.
  - OkayPhysicist 3y ago
    You're the one pitching an "ought to be". Your pitch is "Poor people ought not to aspire to roles above their station". That sounds pretty dystopian to me.
    - nemo44x 3y ago
      No that’s not ought - it’s how it is. It’s reality. Not how reality ought to be. It’s not dystopian to say you need practical skills that are useful. Once you’ve established that then go learn whatever you want.

kstrauser 3y ago

You have a poor grasp on what a botanist is, why we need them, and how a kid might end up on that track. Your claim is directly analogous to “study physics on your own once you have a real job”. The notion that only the wealthy should be able to pursue critical fields is dystopian as hell. I’m not a botanist. I don’t even know that I know any. I bought a cartful of their research at the supermarket today, though.

nemo44x 3y ago
Unless you’re exceptional. You keep leaving that part out. There’s a parallel gradient of ability and practicality. Has to do more with ability than wealth - although wealth lets you do w/e because you’re rich. There’s reality and there’s how it “ought to be”. You’re stuck on that. Dystopian is millions of people with massive debt and unable to act on what they paid for it.
- OkayPhysicist 3y ago
  You're the one pitching an "ought to be". Your pitch is "Poor people ought not to aspire to roles above their station". That sounds pretty dystopian to me.
  - nemo44x 3y ago
    No that’s not ought - it’s how it is. It’s reality. Not how reality ought to be. It’s not dystopian to say you need practical skills that are useful. Once you’ve established that then go learn whatever you want.